March 2023

MONTHLY NEWS OF THE WAIKAWA BOATING CLUB

latitude 41

simple galley

food Know your Knots # 3 Yachting NZ

Corner Online Magazine

Photo Comp WINNERS Vol. 07 | March 2023

Correction to lasts months cover photo where I mistakenly had the fish sizes wrong, they were a 42cm and a whopping 48cm - many apologies Dave for down sizing your obviously fabulous catch!!

Our aim is to bring you more insight into your club, its people and events.

We welcome and encourage your contributions of photos, editorial content and suggestions and hope you enjoy this issue.

Deadline for next issue is Wednesday March 1st.

Inside this month Welcome to our newest members MNMRA—Trip reports Yachting NZ Corner with Ian Gardiner Avoid Cooking your Batteries Simple Galley Recipes Focus on Whangaroa

Click here for short video of ex-cyclone Gabrielle taken from Heatwave at anchor in the Bay of Islands during a period of 50-60kn gusts Deadline for next issue is Wednesday April 5th..

Looking after your nonmoving parts

Join us and become a member We have two types of membership, Full and Crew.

Crew Members: Join a racing yacht and take part in all our racing events as well as other club regattas.

Enjoy members discount at our club bar.

Have fun at our club social events and Friday club nights, including entry into our weekly members jackpot draw.

Affiliation to both Yachting New Zealand and Clubs New Zealand.

Full Members - All of the above plus:

Relax while cruising and enjoy the use of 100 secure and regularly serviced moorings throughout Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds as well as D’Urville Island and Port Underwood Enter your yacht in any of our 80+ races held throughout the year as well as our annual regattas.

Take part in our regular ‘on water’ cruising events.

Make use of our discounted venue hire rates.

Full voting rights.

Eligible to stand for election on the club Executive.

Click here for link to our membership application forms.

MEET YOUR EXECUTIVE Committee Member Graeme Riach Together with my wife Helen (“Helzy”) I joined the Waikawa Boating Club in 2016 when we purchased our launch Bateleur (pronounced “Battle-er”) and brought her down from Tauranga. Bateleur was our first foray into larger boats - we had had smaller powerboats and then a Haines Hunter SS700 before taking the plunge as it were.

Helzy’s parents had owned launches in the Marlborough Sounds many years ago so she had some experience of the genre – I on the other hand was a complete novice with bigger boats.

But we engaged John (JP) Gardiner as a skipper for the delivery trip and I learned a lot from him en route – including over the 5 days we were stuck in Napier waiting for a southerly weather pattern to abate!

We have fallen in love with the Sounds and we now travel up from Christchurch at every available opportunity – holidays, long weekends and sometimes just a normal weekend if the weather is looking good. We often link up with our dear friends, Liz and Dave Nelson on Serenity, Al and Rachel Wilson on Rendezvous and Graeme and Linda Day (Arusha).

Card nights and hard-fought fishing competitions are enjoyable activities – accompanied of course by the odd beer or wine!

Although our time in the Sounds is necessarily limited, we have also met and got to know many other club members from rafting up or enjoying the Club wardroom on a Friday night.

MEET YOUR EXECUTIVE cont Committee Member Graeme Riach We have ventured round to spend time in Pelorus on two different occasions so far – the first time involving a rather eye-opening rounding of Cape Jackson. We are always learning…!

After nearly 7 years as skipper, I am now pretty confident at the helm and usually manage to back into our berth without drama. We love our “marine caravan” and our little mate Louis (above) has, in his latter years, also become a salty old sea dog.

As a lawyer by profession - recently setting up business by myself as a barrister after some 24 years in my last firm – it was thought that I might be able to add some value to the Executive despite living at a distance from Waikawa. Zoom meetings are now so common it doesn’t seem to matter! So I put myself forward as a candidate and came onto the Executive Committee in 2019. There have been some challenging times for the Club over the period since – notably dealing with the many issues created by Covid 19 – but the Club is in good heart overall and I think we have a good mix of skills and experience on the Executive – combined with a great manager and staff.

Apart from the law and boating, my other interests include aviation – I have my private pilot’s licence and am a syndicate owner of the Piper Warrior aircraft (pictured) which we fly out of Rangiora Aerodrome. I also like watching rugby on TV and play the odd game of tennis and golf when time permits

Open to all Members and members guests

Bookings for Friday evening meals make a big difference to our catering team we appreciate your support.

Tuesdays from 7.30pm Bistro style meals Members bar discount Racing prizegiving

Friday 10 March The Waikawa Social Club is bringing Paul Nees in for a fun night of music. Many of you will have heard Paul performing music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s including genres of Rock n Roll, Country Rock, Popular Pop and sing along.

Paul will be at the club from approx 6pm - No computer, no drum machine - just honest of the cuff vibes.

Come on down, enjoy a meal and great music!

RNI 2023

At the time of publication the first two boats are in! During their stay at Waikawa they will be berthed on 16W at Waikawa.

Here are most of the boats in Mangōnui Harbour during the 1st stopover

RNI 2023

And they’re off - start of leg 2 - Mangonui to Waikawa Tuesday 28 Feb 10am

WBC STAFF PROFILE Introducing Julia (Floss) Thomson - Assistant Club & Events Manager

In West Philadelphia born and raised, - nah just jokes but a catchy tune all the same!!

I was born and lived in Christchurch until I was 10 when we moved permanently to Picton. My family have been coming to Marlborough for holidays for as long as I can remember. Initially Havelock until us kids got a little older, then Parklands, Waikawa, then Picton Top 10.

Everyday, weather permitting we were out on the water; fishing, water skiing, Miss Patch giving me cuddles after an earthquake snorkeling , swimming and having a BBQ lunch on a beach - Great days, great memories.

Siblings - I have two older brothers, oldest one in the UK and second oldest one in Auckland and my younger sister lives in Noosa.

So I have plenty of nieces and nephews with one of my nephews kindly making me a 'Great Aunt' a bit before my time!

Parents - Dad was the local sparky and we owned a shop called Picton Electrical. Mum was a registered nurse then Midwife based in Picton/Blenheim.

While she did her midwifery training in Wellington she was one of the volunteers helping the medical team on board the Inters-islander assisting the Mikhail Lermontov rescue. They are both retired now and living in Rangiora.

Me - I've lived in Picton for 39 years, left a couple of times for work in Christchurch and Palmerston North but no...home is where it's at, back to Picton. I enjoyed a fab summer working at Furneaux Lodge around 95/96 - awsome! Poured pints for years at the old Terminus Hotel, Crow Tavern and other local pubs. Business manager for Vodafone in Blenheim for 10 1/2 yrs, Summer sabatical working at Challenge Servo for about 6 months, Garbologist for Crafar Crouch Construction, Picton 8yrs and now WBC, so I've worn many hats.

No kids just my beautiful fur baby 'Miss Patch' and she's a glorious 12yrs old. and hogs the California King bed as if she owns it!

I've been with my partner Shane for 8yrs and together we started renovating our Picton house which is now on the market and we also have a property in Granity, West Coast.

So “in a nutshell” that's a little bit of goss about me and my family.

Sunset, New Years Eve from Granity 2022

Welcome to our New Members Full members Dwight Dagg & Dianne Simms Full Ursus Launch 12m. 17t Jared Cook Scott Goodwin

Full Mama Cocha German Frers Sloop 13m 10t Temp Oura Vandestadt 10m 7t

Click here for full list of our current boat register

It’s amazing what you pull up with your anchor - here’s approx 50m of braid after fouling Ray White’s anchor chain last week.

Are you new to boating?

Check out this FREE online course from Coastguard Boating Education

From the Archives Our very first club building circa 1959. Waikawa Bay on the corner of Port Underwood Rd and Arthur Crescent.

REAR COMMODORE ROUND UP

MOORINGS - The three damaged moorings in Queen Charlotte have been re-instated. Bakers, Pickersgill, Schoolhouse Bay. While these were booked to be completed prior to Christmas, they are now fully operational again.

- The Double Cove mooring has been checked, and the tackle shortened. This should prevent the issues we have had with boats hitting the bottom and also the adjacent jetty.

- All the moorings in Queen Charlotte have now been cleaned.

REAR COMMODORE ROUND UP

CrUISING

Capt Marty is back with lots happening - give him a call for more info on any of these events - 027 275 0213

Saturday 11th March BEACH CLEAN. We are proposing trying to cover beaches within Tory Channel.

DOC are organising a Marlborough wide Big Beach Clean Up week commencing 4th to 12th March.

We thought it would be good to see if there was more rubbish after the summer season on our beaches If anyone is interested please contact Marty (ph as above) or okiwabaylodge@gmail.com.

Please bring a bin liner and gloves and a smile.

A raft up after the beach clean will be either Double Bay or Ngaruru.

We would love to receive photo evidence of your collections

Saturday 25 March - A challenge for yachts or cruisers. To follow a course of marks and buoys. Each boat will need to navigate using observation, chart plotters , coordinates etc. Each boat must submit an optimum time they think it will take to complete the course. THIS IS NOT A RACE. Further details will be published in the Wednesday Club Bites shortly.

Prize Giving back at the club Saturday 8th April - Cruise to the Brothers Islands If you have never been outside Queen Charlotte Sound then this is your opportunity to experience its beauty with other boats. Travelling out by the Brothers and back in again. Good weather ordered!!

This will be a full day with a raft up upon completion. Easter eggs welcome!!

If you are a little unsure, we will be able to offer navigational support.

Please contact Marty with your interest.

Saturday 12 October - Ladies Dinghy Training Liz Nelson has very kindly offered to run a Rubber Duckie handling session for our female members who may not feel too confident handling an outboard motor. This will be a practical session - more later.

Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio Association provides a monitored marine communication system in the wider Marlborough Sounds, Cook Strait, Tasman and Golden Bay. As a child I was brought up by boating oriented parents. I always had the message driven home: Tell someone where you are going, and what time you will be back.

I have probably been a bit grumpy at times when my own children have gone off in the dinghy or kayaks for an evening fish or paddle and stated “I will be back by 7:30” or other appropriate time before dark. As it starts to get dark I tend to get a bit edgy. Do I give up my nice anchorage and go for a quick run and find said children while it is still daylight and much easier to locate them, or do I continue to stress until after dark and then go looking? Always much easier while still daylight.

Fortunately, each time, as I am about to kick the engine into life and drop the mooring or lift the pick, said children come innocently around the point, looking very pleased with themselves for being back with a couple of nice fish.

Recently, a young family, Mum, Dad and a couple of young children set off in their runabout for the afternoon for a bit of fishing and a picnic. A nice vessel, always well maintained, VHF radio equipped and life jackets being worn.

Come dark, they had not returned to their camp and other members of their party rightly became concerned for their whereabouts and welfare. The Police were contacted, who asked Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio to broadcast messages seeking sightings or information.

They were located the next morning, quite happy having decided to spend the night in a nice spot at a nearby island.

Told that a search had been mounted for them they headed back to the launching ramp, Dad looking a little sheepish. They were met at the ramp by Police, who were not waiting with a bunch of flowers and chocolates.

An awful lot of stress for family, friends and officials would have been avoided with a simple call on the VHF or by telling someone what they had decided.

If only they’d followed my parent’s advice!

If you are not currently a Member of the Association, please consider joining.

Click here for more info and application details.

Channel information Channel 01 - Mt Stokes Coverage extends from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north and the east coast from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell, most of the Marlborough Sounds, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay, Wellington and Cook Strait. At times this channel may be workable outside these perimeters.

Channel 04 - Drumduan Covers Tasman Bay including some of the western side of D'Urville Island. This channel was previously channel 28 but on 15 July 2018 it changed to channel 04. Channel 04 is permanently linked to channels 60 and 65 - this means that any transmission made on channel 04 is heard simultaneously on channel 65 and 60, and vice versa.

Channel 05 - Single Hill Sinle Hill is southeast from Ward and the channel covers the east coast from Cape Campbell south to Clarence and sometimes further south. Channel 05 is permanently linked to channel 63 - this means that any transmission made on channel 05 is heard simultaneously on channel 63, and vice versa. MNMRA also has an AIS receiver on site which feeds data into the Marine Traffic website.

Channel 60 - Mt Burnett Covers Golden Bay including the western side of D'Urville Island and down the west coast as far as Kahurangi Point.. Channel 60 is permanently linked to channels 04 and 65 - this means that any transmission made on channel 60 is heard simultaneously on channel 65 and 04, and vice versa.

Channel 63 - Mt Kahikatea Covers Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Underwood, Cook Strait, south to Cape Campbell, Kapiti, Mana and also parts of Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds.

Channel 65 - Paradise Reserve Covers Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds, Havelock, D'Urville, western Cook Strait, parts of Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and large sections of Queen Charlotte Sound. Channel 65 is permanently linked to channels 04 and 60.

Channel 66 - Mt Stokes Coverage area is similar to Channel 01. This repeater is for commercial use only and is not operator monitored

Yachting New Zealand Corner with Ian Gardiner It is hard to believe we are on the other side of summer with only a couple of the Versatile Twilight Summer Series races left to go.

When this March edition of Latitude 41 is published hopefully I will be on the way back to Auckland on the final leg of the Round the North Island Yacht Race (RNI). Editors note - check out the SSANZ website for tracking info, boat name - Drinks Trolley, as well as our other WBC yachts - High Voltage, Distraction and Simply Irresitable The recent weather events, in particular Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastation to the Hawkes Bay region, have ended up affecting the RNI race this year. The race organisers (SSANZ) have had to make some challenging decisions around the risks to yachts sailing up the east coast with the amount of debris washed out to sea in the storm. After consultation with many parties including Napier Sailing Club, local sailors and Yachting New Zealand safety and technical officer it was decided the RNI will not be stopping in at Napier in this edition of the race.

This highlights a reminder to club members that our Yachting New Zealand regional development managers and technical and safety officer are available to provide consultative support to race organisers around safety and other decisions.

Yachting New Zealand also has safety resources available to race or event organisers to use as templates to tailor to their needs. Clubs and event safety plans are important resources for your club and help you ensure systems are in place to keep members and competitors safe as well as protect the clubs’ essential volunteers and assets.

Our regional development team prioritise working with member clubs in this area, we know time is precious and many of our clubs are run by volunteers, so are keen to help the club develop simple, club-relevant, and complaint processes for your club activities and events.

Jump into the Yachting New Zealand Club Manual here to see what we have and give me a call if you have any questions.

Yachting New Zealand Conference Prior to COVID Yachting New Zealand invited club Commodores or representatives together for a one-day conference every couple of years. In 2020 we had to pivot to an online conference, but in 2023 we are back to an in person event.

We have booked Bucklands Beach Yacht Clubs’ main hall on Saturday 27th May 2023 and we are looking forward to having our community back together to connect in person.

Regional Roundup Our regional development team is pleased to have learnt the Regional Roundup is the most read section of the Yachting New Zealand bi-weekly newsletter ‘Briefings’. This confirms to us that our members enjoy reading about what is happening at other clubs and seeing their own club activities being shared and celebrated.

We would love to continue this momentum and need your help. Please share with me your stories, events, or moments that happen at club regattas or races or when cruising.

Please send your ideas to me with a brief note about the story, with a picture or short video ian@yachtingnz.org.nz If you do not receive the Yachting New Zealand ‘Briefings’ it is easy to sign up here.

It has been a busy season for the region to date with plenty going on including; The Waikawa Verstatile Summer Twilight Series, Evolution Women’s Regatta, QCYC Interislander Regatta, Elliot 5.9 National Championships, OK and Flying Dutchman National Championships, and now some 35 keelers are descending on the Marlborough Sounds and the Waikawa Boating Club as part of the SSANZ Round North Island Race.

It certainly has been an exceptional season for yachting in Marlborough and appreciation goes out to all the volunteers that make it happen.

Happy and Safe Boating Ian Gardiner RDM Yachting New Zealand

7 Essential knots from SailMagazine.com Once you cut a piece of rope off the spool at the chandlery and bring it aboard your boat and give it a job to do, it becomes a line you have put to work. Whatever job it is performing—whether it becomes a jib sheet, a fender whip, or a dockline—there is an ideal knot, hitch or bend for its given task.

Types of knots fall into three general categories. The first are those tied on the end of a line and are commonly called “knots,” such as the bowline knot and the stopper knot. The second category is those used to join two lines together. They may have “bend” in their name, as in a sheet bend, because to bend, in sailor talk, means to join. The last group is those that secure a line to a cleat, piling, or stanchion, and they are known as “hitches.”

If you didn’t learn knots when you were young, you can still master them quickly.

The key is to learn what a given knot should look like when completed, then practice tying it until you can do it with your eyes closed. When studying knots, it helps to know some terms. The ends of a line are referred to as either “working” or “standing.” The working end is free, while the standing end is secured to something.

A loop formed in a line is known as a bight

Knot # 3 CLOVE HITCH This is a handy knot because it can be tied very quickly.

On sailboats, its usual use is for securing fender whips to a lifeline, stanchion base e or toerail. It can be easily adjusted to raiseor lower a fender as needed. The clove hitch can also be used to temporarily secure a dock line to a piling, but be aware that the hitch can unexpectedly work free as the boat moves around at the dock.

Take one full turn around the object the line is being secured to. Then pass the line over itself as you take another turn. Finish the knot by tucking the working end under itself and pull tight

Photo Competition We received stunning photos - thank you!!!

With a couple of categories not represented we have decided to spread the cheer with an extra drone category.

Seascapes

Taking out the Seascapes category is this super shot of Paddock Rocks taken by Yves Barthelet

Tennyson Inlet looking especially tranquil thanks to Stella Duff for this photo

Sunrise/Sunset

Always hard to go past a great photo of or from the club!

Congratulations to Wendy Sullivan for this photo

“Next stop Wellington” thanks to Stella Duff for this photo

Furry or Feathered friends

Hard to believe that not one of you with cats and or dogs on board didn’t have any photos to share!

Thank you to Stella Duff for this photo of these special birds.

Fishy Photos

Hunting for Ray! While not technically a fish, this action photo of Stella’s is great!

New Category - Drone Shots

These photos from Yves Barthelet definitely worthy of their own category - this one of Ketu Bay and below of Long Island

Congratulations to all of these photographers, we have wine for you in the office!

No moving parts, no service????

Even the most simplest of devices can get overlooked. Here a magnet design for diesel bug separation has no moving parts, has been in service for many years and has given no trouble. But after removing fuel lines and finding them obstructed with debris it was time to go into the system in a bit more detail. Here you can see a simple magnet design that is totally blocked with bug, sediment, and other things. Making the situation worse is the magnet has broken. This picture of a magnet separator has come from a fuel tank constructed with stainless steel. If you have a tank made from steel then a check of the magnets is required more frequently as rust sticks pretty well to magnets.

You can have a chat to Stuart on 03 573 8243 or email to: boatmarl@xtra.co.nz www.boatingmarlborough.co.nz

Looking for a venue?

Our club Wardroom is available for hire for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, funerals, meetings and training seminars.

Seating for up to 100 Catering and bar options Member only discount on hire fee Dance floor Waterfront venue and large deck Contact the club office: 03 573 6798 email to events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz or click here for link to website

c ooking y e l l a G Recipes from WBC Members - Food is such an important part of being out on the boat. We all have that special recipe we use while onboard, usually simple and popular! PLEASE send in your favourites!

What can you make aboard with minimal ingredients commonly in found your galley? Sure you can bring meals from home, but what can you create when aboard?

From Sue van Velzen - Heatwave Not being the biggest fan of chickpeas, I was very pleasantly surprised (and relieved) when friends dished up this treat for lunch one day while we were anchored in the same bay. It is very simple, and I am sure you can substitute the various components to suit your available ingredients. The name of this is a bit misleading as the recipe has not curry as an ingredient - could be added if you prefer.

Chick Pea and Peach Curry INGREDIENTS 1 can each of: Chick Peas Peaches Tomatoes - flavoured if you prefer Coriander to taste DIRECTIONS Drain each of the cans.

In a frying or saucepan mix all three cans together and heat. Stir through the coriander just before serving.

Serve with warmed wraps or perfect with last months flat bread, or rice.

From Ron & Sue van Velzen on Heatwave After managing to hide from the worst of recent flooding and the worst Gabrielle could throw our way, we have had terrific weather since! A highlight has been spending time in Whangaroa Harbour.

Whangaroa is roughly half way between the Cavalli Islands and Mangonui or a 5-6 hour motor for us from the Bay of Islands (not sailing - no wind).

Many of you will have cruised here, and to date Whangaroa is one of our highlights!

The entrance to the harbour is quite narrow although only 1-2kn of tide when we have been through.The swell outside the entrance over time has created caves and blow holes, sucking the sea in and then throwing it back out at a different spot.

Whangaroa Village and marina

Quite similar to Queen Charlotte Sound in that Whangaroa is a drowned river valley (around 6000 years ago). It is now a base for several fishing charter boats and a large area of oyster farming further in. The towering rock formations are incredible. If you get the chance to go we highly recommend it. There is also a DOC hut available for hire with water taxi for transport if taking your own boat is not an option.

A dinghy ride up the river reveals a canyon valley complete with waterfall.

Right is the Dukes Head - a walking track from the DOC Hut in Lane Cove apparently takes you to the top (includes some climbing hanging onto chains…) And below: This hill has to come out of a fantasy or Lord of Rings movie!

Dramatic scenery for the ‘boat photo’ bottom left and below is The Beast - Sir Michael Hills latest boat: a Catamaran in camo, complete with sealegs RIB and 40ft fishing launch normally sitting in a cradle on the port side hence the heavy duty crane!

Deanne and her team are available for all your catering needs, from morning teas and lunches to weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, funerals and business events.

Deanne will work with your specific requirements and any dietary needs.

Give Deanne a call on 021 186 8823

Do you have an idea, an article or photos of interest for our members? Let us know what you would like to see in our new monthly newsletter.

Give Sue a call on 021 287 8225 or email to events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz

Long Island James Cook recorded its original name as Hamote.

The island is long and thin - just over 1.41 square kilometres in area with a length of 4 km and a maximum width of 1 km It was reserved for public utility on 26 March 1926 and soon after became a farm running between 300 and 400 sheep until 14 January 1926 when the island became a scenic reserve. With the removal of stock in the 1930s the island has been left to regenerate back into native bush.

In April 1993, the Long Island-Kokomohua Marine reserve was created around Long island and the tiny Kokomohua islands off its northern tip. It extends 460 metres offshore from the high water mark around the islands and was the first Marine reserve to be created in the South Island.

The island itself is also an important wildlife refuge and a number of species of threatened endemic birds which have been reintroduced to it including little spotted kiwi (late 1980s), yellow-crowned parakeet (2001) and South Island saddleback (2005) - all these reintroductions have been successful with healthy breeding populations of each species now present on the Island.

New Zealand was already in the fight when the attack on Pearl Harbour took place in 1941. After it, no one took the Japanese threat lightly.

Back in the 1940s the world was at war. New Zealand sent troops and aid, and of course we never thought the war would come to us, but it did.

We entered an arrangement to provide shelter to the American navy in Queen Charlotte Sound. Due to the threat posed by the Japanese navy, a series of installations were planned and built around the Marlborough Sounds to protect against incursion by the enemy.

A number of these are still here, and you can visit them, if you know where to look.

Most involve an adventure to get to, all are worth the trip.

This is the story of a trip to Long Island to find the submarine monitoring station on the Eastern shore. Story and photo credit to Andy Baldwin unless otherwise stated.

First published in the Marlborough Express November 29, 2019

What's left of one of the military barracks on Long Island, in Queen Charlotte Sound. The barracks were part of an installation designed to protect the area from the Japanese during World War II.

Located 35 kilometres from Picton, Long island guards the entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound.

It is the first marine reserve in the South Island and has a long history of fortification. To the local Maori the island was known as 'Hamote' and was occupied with a heavily fortified Pa. When Captain Cook arrived in 1770 and named it Long island, this was still evident.

He planted what was possibly the first vegetable garden near one of its beaches.

Even 75 years later Captain Wakefield said 'it was crowned with heavy fortifications'.

Sadly, there are no traces of this today, and even the location of the Pa is not accurately known. During colonial times the forests on the island were burned and up to 400 sheep were run on a farm there. Farming failed, however, and by the early 20th century much of the island was regenerating into fern and bush.

Photo credit - KEVIN JONES Motuara Island is in the foreground with Long Island behind in the Queen Charlotte Sound

A visit from a ranger in 1925 led to a recommendation that the island become a reserve.

In 1926, the Long Island scenic reserve was established. Since then, predators have been eradicated and native species re-introduced. There are even little spotted kiwi on the island now.

In 2006, a population of 100 Maud Island frogs was established, but this was not very successful, possibly due to a lack of predator proof habitat. In 1991 a group of dive clubs got together and recommended that the area around Long Island and the neighbouring Kokomohua Islands be made a marine reserve. This was acted on and the establishment of a marine reserve has seen a recovery of marine life around the islands.

You need a good day to visit the outer sounds, and an even better one if you want to beach your boat and go exploring. This one was perfect. We headed out at 7.30 am on a flat sea, 40 minutes later we arrived at the southern tip of Long Island.

Southwestern Beach on Long Island in Queen Charlotte Sound. With its reefs, rocky shore and hazardous rocks, this is not a place I normally approach too closely, although there is a stunning beach on the south-west point.

But today was different, we needed to get close to spot the clues; a pipe sticking out of a hillside and the rotted remains of a jetty on a pebbly beach. I was immediately nervous; there had been a number of landslides after recent heavy rains. Maybe the clues had been covered?

We motored slowly along the shore, about 20 metres out, scanning the shore and bush.

The first pebbly beach we came to had a couple of huge slips. We nosed the boat into the shore and I leapt onto the beach to explore. After 10 minutes of scrambling up the landslides and climbing crumbling rock I could find nothing. Ok, cross that one off and move along.

One of the outfall pipes on Long Island, still there nearly 70 years after it was built.

The next beach was larger and more promising- no landslides! A rusty pipe was visible at the northern end of the beach along with a couple of posts sticking out of the rocky point.

We beached the boats and waded ashore. The pipe was sticking out of a small clay cliff, but a little further along was a pile of rocks next to the cliff. I scrambled up and found myself on a flat shelf of forest. Directly in front of me was a solid concrete building with another a little further back. Success! These were the monitoring station and 'housing' for the soldiers A short walk back into the bush led to a round concrete cistern that clearly supplied the water for the people there.

It's hard to imagine now, but the area would have been cleared when the station was built.

One of the cisterns on Long Island.

To visit it today is kind of spooky, with the trees and bush all around and overshadowing the buildings. DOC use this as a landing site to access the island and traps for the traplines were piled at the entrance to one of the buildings.

This installation was never completed but the plan was to run a loop cable on the seabed to Blumine Island. On the bathymetric map the trench from Long Island to 'Barracks Bay' on Blumine is clearly visible. A number of cable trenches were dug at this time, it's not clear which had cables laid and which were not used.

We spent a happy hour or so exploring the area and discussing how people would have lived here. Before leaving we placed a geo-cache here for any other intrepid explorers to find.

It's worth the trip to see monitoring station, and the bird life in the forests and bush is amazing

All that remains of the wharf on Long Island

Members Classifieds

Wanted to Buy mooring in Waikawa Bay for 14m yacht.

Contact: Liz 027 217 1564 or Dave 021 073 3612 10M Berth in Waikawa Marina available for rent $440 per month. Contact Steve 021 1338 003 Plastic Dinghy – Moulded Designed to carry 2- 3 people but able to comfortably hold a family of 4 or 5, this dinghy is virtually unsinkable.

An aluminium outboard motor bracket on the rear of the boat suitable for a 22.5 hp motor. Aplywood seat with another two plastic moulded seats at either end of the dinghy. A 5” hatch at the front. (Put a netting bag here for storing phones, cameras, keys etc safely out of the way and dry!!!) Oars DIMENSIONS: Length= 2550 mm Width= 1365 mm Depth= 600 mm Weight= 45 kg Price $595.00 ono Phone Pete on 0275 434 184 Dinghy is in Blenheim

Ship to Shore power lead for sale approx 20m. Has a male plug but needs plug on the other end.

Offers over $100 - currently in the club office ph, 03 573 6798

Anchor design Door bell and Hook Rack Make an offer, very possibly brass and in very good condition, these are at the club - phone 03 573 6798

If you have something boat related to sell/buy or swap, these ads (now with photo) are free for our members.

If you would like a full or half page ad please talk to us.

Please email to events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz

Contacts: By phone - (03) 573 6798 Physical address - 12 Te Ara Kaimoana, Waikawa Marina Web Address - www.waikawaboatingclub.co.nz Facebook for our most up to date news and events Club Manager - Natasha Mason office@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz Assistant Manager - Julia Thomson events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz Office Hours - Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm

Club Executive Commodore

Sue van Velzen svheatwave@gmail.com Vice Commodore - Anne Marett annemarett5@gmail.com Rear Commodore House - Susie Caley okiawbaylodge@gmail.com Rear Commodore Sailing - David Grigg tempello@xtra.co.nz Rear Commodore Moorings - Steve Dawson stevesuedawson@gmail.com Rear Commodore Crusing - Martin Cuthbert okiwabaylodge@gmail.com Executive Committee Graeme Riach - graeme@graemeriach.nz David Nelson - davidnelson1507@gmail.com Liz Nelson - liznelson16@gmail.com Mike Gould - mikegould@xtra.co.nz