Waterline - March 2020

B OAT | FISH | WAT ERSP OR T N Z

AU T U M N 2020

Photo: Lissa Photography.

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The region’s favourite watersport and boating magazine, Waterline.

Bigger, brighter and with increased circulation, Waterline is making more of a splash in the booming marine market, with a new look and a wider reach.

It’s the flagship of the region’s boating community, embraced by clubs, active boat owners, fishos, divers and watersports enthusiasts.

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Support for crayfish industry

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Popular summer regatta continues to grow

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Survive the Dive

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Wayward winch saved

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Nasty nipper numbers on the rise

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Waka Hourua connects our past & present 26

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Kina stocks a polarising issue in EBOP

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Beau Geste

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Seaweed delicacy

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Super sailor makes final voyage

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For advertising and to share your stories please contact: Kathy Sellars on 07 928 3053 kathy@sunmedia.co.nz

www.waterline.co.nz waterlinenz Editor: Brian Rogers Advertising: Kathy Sellars, Jo Delicata and Ian Evans Graphic Design: SunMedia Ltd

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Waterline is a SunMedia Ltd publication © All material is copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

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Club gears up for i The Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary later this year and past members are urged to get in touch to help make it an extra special event.

Rigging area at the other side of rail bridge, The Strand end, Tauranga.

Club vice-commodore Delwyn Keyworth says initial festivities will be held in late September to coincide with the start of the 2020 summer series and will be followed by a big centennial race and 1920s themed ball held at Easter 2021.

“Easter is a good time to come together,” says Delwyn. “We want to encourage people associated with the club and past members to come along and stay in Tauranga for a few days to catch up with fellow sailors, share the memories and celebrate our club’s history.”

“We’re going to have a range of sailing activities and include all the divisions of our club – everyone from our youth sailors through to multi-hull, centre boarders, sailboards, keelers, trailer yachts, cruises and our power boat owners. We want to be inclusive of as many people as we can.”

Some of New Zealand’s most successful sailors including Peter Burling, Jason Saunders and siblings Molly and Sam Meech have come through the Tauranga club in recent years, and the organisation has played a vital role in the community.

Delwyn says Tauranga Moana has always provided safe anchorage and a restful place in its beautiful harbour but has also over the centuries, provided a learning ground for its sailors.

“The TYPBC is very proud to be an active participant in this process, and with reflection over the activities of the last 100 years, we can appreciate the growth and the achievements that the members of the club have been able to obtain.”

“This is a club that has been built by people with a common interest, enthusiasm, community spirit, innovation, pure hard

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r its centennial year work and most importantly a love of being on the water and sailing. It is also a club that encourages all sailors of all abilities and interests and is willing to share their knowledge to grow the sport.”

The club has also contributed to the growth of the marine industry infrastructure – the marinas, the haul out facilities, boat building and repair services, sail makers, riggers and chandlery supplies – which has fostered Tauranga’s national and international reputation as a hub for sailing.

Past and present members who have old photographs, information or memories they would like to share to mark the centenary are welcome to get in touch. A book is currently being compiled by sailing enthusiast and author Gun Caundle who is researching the club’s history.

“The club’s origins actually date back to a local barber shop,” Gun explains. “There was no regular organised boating competition, so a bunch of guys organised a meeting of interested people at a barber shop in October 1920. They formed a committee and the club was born.”

A building fund was set up early on to help secure a base for the club. “A fundraising committee organised social functions like dances and picnics and the club’s main committee also paid regular contributions into the building fund. By 1933 they had enough to start and the original headquarters were built where Harbourside Restaurant is now,” Gun says.

But when the Harbour Board first started talking about building a harbour bridge, the club realised they couldn’t stay where they were. “The keel boats moored in the area wouldn’t be able to get underneath the new bridge with their masts and the junior classes were already sailing off Kulim Park.”

When land became available at Sulphur Point in 1981, a design proposal for new clubrooms was presented and accepted. “That was certainly a major undertaking for the club. There was one paid fulltime builder but otherwise everything else was built by volunteers from within the club’s membership.

“The club was fortunate to have members in many high positions who assisted with the build of both clubhouses. Materials would often just appear and truck loads of fill would arrive thanks to those people who could acquire what was needed.”

The original club house.

New Club 1983.

Delwyn envisions some of the centennial celebrations to be held this September will be water activities beside Harbourside Restaurant to mark the significance of that location. “We hope all the different divisions of the club will come together and do something quite special.”

Once plans are finalised, details will be available on the club’s website https://www.yacht.org.nz/. In the meantime, old photographs and information can be passed on via email (office@yacht.org.nz) or by phoning the office on (07) 578 5512.

Jo-Marie Baker

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Support for crayfish industry after disruptions The government has agreed to help crayfish exporters to minimise the impact of trade disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Between 150 and 180 tonnes of live rock lobster are currently held in New Zealand in pots and tanks, at sea and on land, after export orders were cancelled

by Chinese distributors.

The industry has asked government to help manage the impact.

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has agreed that fisheries officials can allow a limited release of rock lobster back into the wild He says the decision will affect the live crayfish in holding pots at sea, and some held in tanks on land.

It means they can be harvested again when the trade disruptions are resolved.

“The coronavirus is taking a big toll on ordinary Chinese people. Millions of people cannot go about their usual routines because of the need to minimise health risks and observe restrictions on movements and gatherings.

“The Chinese New Year celebrations between January 25 and February 8 are particularly affected. Exporters from New Zealand and other countries traditionally sell large numbers of rock lobster into China during this period, but most orders have been cancelled.

“I have to balance a number of concerns. There are potential impacts on the health, welfare and sustainability of the rock lobster fishery, wider biosecurity issues for the marine environment, and the economic impact on local fishing communities and the industry.”

Stuart says not all rock lobster held in tanks on land will be able to be returned to the sea.

Where lobster from different sources have been brought together at processing facilities, officials will consider their release on a case by case basis. In doing this, they will consider potential implications for biosecurity and sustainability.

“The industry will be required to find new markets for rock lobster which are not able to be returned to sea.

“There are strict rules around the return of rock lobsters to the sea.

Officials want to make sure it is done in a way which ensures they are likely to survive and also protects the environment where they are being released.

“Anyone who wishes to release live crayfish will need to provide information to Fisheries New Zealand, and Fishery officers will monitor the return of crayfish to the sea. Officials will contact those affected with advice on what they need to do.

“This is an evolving situation and the rock lobster industry is important to the New Zealand economy. It makes a vital contribution to a number of small fishing communities. I will continue to monitor the situation.

“I am also considering another request for a technical change to allow catch entitlements to be carried forward from one fishery year to the next. This will take more time to finalise and I will discuss it further with government colleagues.”

More information is available here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/ growing-and-harvesting/fisheries/rock-lobster-fishers-affected-bytrade-disruptions-in-february-2020 waterline Autumn 2020

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Popular summer regatta continues to grow

New Zealand’s biggest multi-day keelboat regatta, the CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week, enjoyed a record turnout this year, with a 137-strong fleet competing in near perfect conditions in late January.

The regatta is now in its 18th year after being founded by UK ex-pats Tony and Nina Kiff in 2002. Its popularity has grown substantially in recent years as entrants bring racing of an international standard to New Zealand’s sailing community.

Regatta Chair Manela Gmuer-Hornell says entries jump by around 20 per cent each year as more sailors from all over the country get involved in the action.

“I always say it’s location. People just want to come to the Bay of Islands. It’s fabulous sailing up here. It doesn’t matter where the wind comes from or what the swell is like, you always find a way around the islands and it’s just spectacular.”

This year’s regatta enjoyed fantastic weather with a 10 to 15 knot wind. “The first day we had quite a big swell which the big boats like. There was plenty of sunshine and a spot of dolphins which everyone likes to see.”

This year Mayhem, co-skippered by Harry Dodson and Tony Bosnyak, won Division A on line and general handicap but the coveted PHRF national championships trophy went to Jim Farmer’s Georgia after a solid three days of racing.

Elsewhere in the standings, Steve Purton’s Icebreaker won line honours in B Division, with a string of podium placings across all nine races in the regatta, but Matt Kerr on Satellite Spy took the win in B Division on general handicap and Clockwork won on PHRF. E division saw a much bigger fleet than previous years, but it was first-time entrant Rob Clifton in a humble Pied Piper named Kiore who gave the locals a run for their money and walked away with the win on general handicap. Although he didn’t compete in the PHRF Nationals, and locals 4 Fox Sake, skippered by Peter Boyd, took the PHRF Nationals trophy.

The Tornado Nationals saw a last-minute lead change on day three, with Bay of Islands local Dave Lineham’s C4 putting in a strong performance to take the overall win from Wayne Limbrick on VMG. Another strong fleet this year was the Young 88 class, with nine boats competing, up from just three in the previous year. With ‘rock stars’ like Gavin Brady among the fleet, competitors knew it would be no shoe-in to the podium, and sure enough it was Brady’s Slipstream III that took every gun.

But a disqualification in one race and a handicap that reflected Slipstream’s performance put Brady well down in the fleet on 8

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general handicap. Phil Rzepecky’s Medium Dry came out top of the pack, with Carl Webster’s Nona second, and the youngsters from Lyttelton on Undercover taking a well-deserved trophy home with third place.

In the Sport Boats, Aaron Reynolds on Snatch was streets ahead on general handicap, while it was a close fought battle for line honours between the locals on Angry Dragon, and the visitors on Ghost Rider, which eventually ended in a tie for first place.

Top placing in the Multihull division was comfortably claimed

by Radix, while possibly the biggest upset of the event was in the Weta fleet, where Ian Sutherland on Suds swiped the series from Paralymian Chris Sharp with a win in the final race.

In the cruising divisions, Island Racing A was taken out by Brian Wheeler’s Omega8 on both general handicap and PHRF. In Island Racing B Frenzy, skippered by Morgan Brodie, took the win on general handicap, while on PHRF it was Kerikeri boat Tongue Twister, skippered by David Ferris and Brian Hutching, at the top of the podium.

Regatta founders Nina and Tony Kiff on Wetherley were pleased with their win on general handicap in Island Racing C. And on PHRF, Andrew Pardington on High Spirits claimed the top spot.

Island Racing D with no spinnakers was won by John Allemann’s Glory Days, and the Island Racing E multihull division was taken out by Russell local Antonio Pasquale on Ave Gitana.

Several boats from outside the region chose to participate in the regatta’s ‘room for one more’ programme this year. GmuerHornell says the fleet was asked in October who would be prepared to take a local youth sailor out racing with them, and several boats – including Tauranga’s Formula One skippered by Carl Smith, happily agreed.

“Formula One actually took three of our young sailors out which was fantastic. The idea is to give Bay of Islands youth a taste of big boat racing. We want young people to come through our sport from the provinces. It’s easy to be in Auckland and a sailor but it’s not so easy when you live further afield.”

Gmuer-Hornell also praised the volunteers who took part and went the extra mile to ensure a fantastic event.

“The whole regatta is run by volunteers, including our committee. We had about 63 people give up their time. I’m blown away every year by this. It’s probably how we work together up here. We know the regatta is such a good thing for our region. We do look after our volunteers – we feed and water them, give them clothing. There’s a great camaraderie involved.”

The annual event is sponsored by CRC, NZL Sailing Foundation, North Sails, Explore, Mount Gay Rum, KZ Leisurefurl, Luxury Real Estate, Bay of Islands Marina, Gurit, NZ Spars & Rigging and Bluefix Boatworks.

For more details and pictures from this year’s regatta, including a full list of results, visit https://bayofislandssailingweek.org.nz

All photos: Lissa Photography.

Jo-Marie Baker

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Survive the Dive Fit, Check & Signal The NZ Underwater Association’s signature safety message to all divers, even the best of the best, is to ask themselves a few simple but essential questions…

Are you the best diver you could be? Qualified – Yes! Experienced – Yes! But are you Fit, do you Check, and do you always Signal?

Are you fit?

Do you ask yourself the question, ‘Am I fit?’ before diving.

Being fit to dive requires more than the ability to swim a couple of lengths of the pool, it means physically and medically checked as fit.

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Water Safety NZ data collated since 2011 clearly demonstrates 60% of all fatalities in divers, spearfishermen, and snorkelers occur in the over 40s age group. Poor heart health and inadequate fitness is the most consistent factor in these diver deaths. Dr Chris Sames of the Slark Hyperbaric Unit in Devonport, covered the complexity of the issue in the NZUA’s 2018 online interview Diving over 40? Why a medical check-up might save your life.

In summary, the question of dive fitness is covered by three primary considerations: The Age Factor – A heart’s capacity to support the elevated blood output required by diving decreases with age.

Maintaining a healthy heart is of the utmost importance to your safety while diving.

Prescription Medicines - Some common medications such as beta blockers or anti-arrhythmia treatments can increase cardiac risk while diving. Consult your doctor before diving and consider a prescription change if so advised.

Depth Compression – As a diver descends, the heart rate slows to conserve oxygen and the lungs compress. Older divers are well advised to be conservative with dive depths. Improving general fitness, particularly heart health with a committed cardiovascular workout programme, will enhance your ability to cope with the stresses of depth and water pressure.

The same rule applies to spearfishermen.

In Dr Sames’ words, “If you’re fit, you’re less likely to get into trouble.”

Do you check?

The routine pre-trip check processes taught during dive courses and recreational boating qualifications, like Coastguard’s Boatmaster course, are crafted and refined to give you the best chance of averting an issue before it happens.

A simple checklist sequence is offered as follows: Check the weather • Is the weather forecast, including swell height and wind speed, appropriate for the activity?

• Is the weather forecast also suitable for the boat’s size?

• Consider the tides and avoid locations with known tidal overfalls during peak flows and during king-tide periods For information on understanding weather forecasts visit NZUnderwater.co.nz/post/understanding-the-weather Check the boat • Is it sea-worthy?

• Get the engine serviced, • Check the fuel levels (replace old fuel as it may be unreliable) • Check the batteries • Give the boat a good visual once-over looking for issues of wear-and-tear Maritime NZ offers best-practice advice on this subject.

Check your safety gear • Are the lifejackets up to scratch? Old-school kapok jackets should go in the bin, replaced with new • Do you have two forms of working communication - VHF plus one other • Have you filed a trip-report with family/friends and with Coastguard?

Check your dive gear • Test and inspect every item to ensure it is functioning correctly • Check for any relevant inspection dates on equipment such as dive tanks (annually) and regulator stages • Ensure tanks are full and that the air is clean - never dive on old or stale air • Inspect BCDs and dive suits for rot • Test for perished silicone or rubber on masks, fins etc • Once kitted up, check all the equipment is functioning correctly Read more about gear maintenance on www.nzunderwater.org.nz Check your dive buddy • Is he or she in a fit state to dive?

• Is their gear in good condition and fully operational?

• Do they know the dive plan?

Read more about the Buddy System on www.nzunderwater.org.nz

Do you signal?

Most of us are aware of the legal requirement to fly a dive flag but good dive trip signalling starts before you leave home. Here’s a few tips to help in the worst-case scenario:

Signal the trip Trip reports may be the most overlooked safety step a diver can take.

• Record them with family or friends • Record with the Coastguard or local VHF monitoring service • Include: Destination, ETA home, Number of passengers on board, File passage/plan updates as necessary Signal the dive In most cases, including spearfishing and all forms of SCUBA, signalling your dive is a mandatory legal requirement. Fines can be issued on the spot with the potential of severe liabilities resulting from an accident investigation.

Signalling devices include: • Dive flags for vessels and/or landbased activities • Various inflatable and rigid surface floats • Tow-boats with flags for spearfishermen Signalling your presence helps ensure the safety of all trip participants, although personal responsibility should still prevail. Vessel skippers observing dive activity signalling are required by law to reduce speed to less than 5-knots within 200m of the signalling device.

Refer to the NZ Underwater Diver Down campaign for more information.

Signal YOU Numerous devices can be carried by divers to indicate their location on the surface or in distress circumstances.

Surface Marker Buoys. Various inflatable surface marker buoys can be deployed to inform boats of your ascending position, and as a clear and obvious marker of your location should tidal current or weather conditions inhibit returning to the vessel.

AIS

AIS-capable rescue devices recently entered the market, led by the McMurdo S10 Smartfind Personal AIS Beacon. Personal AIS works with any AIS-equipped vessel navigation system (increasingly common at the consumer level) to precisely locate the surfaced diver directly on the boat’s navigation screen. View the McMurdo S10 on Safety at Sea’s website.

Strobes

Strobes serve multiple purposes for divers – as signalling devices underwater as well as being useful surface location devices.

Divers in distress on the surface of the water, particularly at night time.

About NZ Underwater

NZ Underwater is the country’s recognised leading notfor-profit organisation promoting and advocating for all New Zealander’s safe and enjoyable underwater activities, in a protected marine environment.

It’s three key areas of activity are as follows: Environment: NZUA is an advocate for clean sea programs, supporting environmental campaigns with volunteers and expertise.

Safety: NZUA flies the flag for diver safety in New Zealand, managing essential services like the Dive Emergency number (0800 4 337 111).

Underwater sports and participation: Many NZUA members are keen sports people engaged in scuba, spearfishing underwater hockey or snorkelling. Numerous affiliated clubs support these activities and welcome new members. waterline Autumn 2020

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Seeing surfers ride above the waves is becoming increasingly common, thanks to the growing popularity of using hydrofoils in board sports.

Assault Boarding Centre owner Glenn Bright says he has seen the popularity of kite foiling grow steadily over the last five years, and now other styles, including surf and sup foiling (similar to paddle boarding), have boomed along with it.

Besides the more apparent perks of using a hydrofoil such as smoothness and speed, Glenn says the true appeal of the sport is hard to describe unless you’ve tried it.

“It feels like you’re flying above the water,” says Glen.

“You don’t need much wind or swell to use a hydrofoil – so it gives people more of an opportunity to get amongst the sports they love.”

Foiling is an easy progression for people who already do a water sport without one.

“I’ve noticed more people who haven’t tried traditional board sports before wanting to give foiling a go.

“Most beginners only take five to 10 hours to get the hang of it, whereas someone who is already used to board sports, even if it’s skateboarding, can get it in an hour.”

For beginners, hydrofoiling off the back of a boat or jet ski is a good way to learn, as the speed stays consistent.

Once off the boat, Glenn says the easiest style is wing foiling – where riders stand

with a handheld sail that isn’t connected to the board.

“It has similarities to windsurfing and kiting, but it’s really a completely new sport because the equipment is totally different.”

Hydrofoiling is starting to make an appearance at traditional New Zealand board competitions, as well as getting events of its own. Most recently, the second annual Bay of Islands Foiling Week took place in February.

According to Glenn, this is just the start.

“We haven’t even scraped the surface of how popular it will become.” MacKenzie Dyer

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Wayward winch saved An historic Tauranga manual slipway winch has been preserved for posterity through the joint efforts of members of the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club and the Tauranga Historical Society.

The old manual winch pictured in its original location, alongside the TYPBC boatshed by the railway bridge. – Lee Switzer image, 2018.

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After being placed in the care of the Society by the TYPBC the winch mysteriously disappeared last year. The scarce example of maritime machinery has since been recovered and is now lawfully lodged in the Tauranga City Council Heritage Collection. Perhaps one day it will be on display in a Tauranga museum.

For nearly 70 years the winch served a small TYPBC slipway at the south end of The Strand, by the railway bridge.

The winch was installed by the Club on the concrete slip circa 1950 to bring its patrol boats and sailing craft ashore.

Club life member Jimmy Gilpin, who played on the foreshore from 1948 before going on to win the P-class Tauranga and Tanner Cups for three years in succession, recently recalled its arrival: “Jack Allen donated a manual winch, and we put in a slipway and used the trolley to launch our boats.”

During the 1960s the most regular user of the slip was the clubhouse custodian, Tim Morrell, who used it to put his beloved 20ft mullet boat Lorna on the hard for maintenance and her annual

scrubbing and repainting. It became known as “Tim’s private slip.”

In the early 1970s the Club built a corrugated-iron boatshed alongside the slipway for the storage and upkeep of its patrol craft, and it was an article in the February 2017 issue of Waterline headed “Bob’s boatshed days may be numbered” which drew the Historical Society’s attention to the adjacent winch.

Apparently, after the Club’s use of the shed lapsed, it had been taken over by Bob Murray, and after 30 years of his tenancy the local authorities were attempting to evict him. Historical Society members researched the history of that part of the foreshore, noted that the old manual winch was the only remaining example of many once in use on the Tauranga harbour, and resolved to preserve it.

Bob Murray died on August 30, 2018. TYPBC Commodore Andrew Knowles formally authorised the Tauranga Historical Society to uplift the winch and transfer it to the Tauranga Heritage Collection.

In mid-September 2019, whilst arrangements for securing the winch were

in hand, the said historic artifact disappeared, wrenched from its 70-years-old foundations by heavy-lift gear and persons unknown.

The Historical Society launched an investigation and on February 3 2020 the Society was advised by local government officials that the winch had been located, and asked to whom the Society would like it delivered. And so, a wayward winch, a reminder of the days when the only sound of a boat being hauled ashore was the clinking of the pawl over the cogs (and perhaps the grunting of the sailor straining at the handle) is now formally safeguarded.

Max Avery, Tauranga Historical Society member

New harbour Opotiki Mayor, Lyn Riesterer said she was thrilled with today’s announcement of funding for the build of Opotiki’s Harbour and that the community would be keen to celebrate this historic milestone.

Regional Economic Development Minister, Shane Jones said that the PGF would be investing $79.4 million in the project to help unlock the full aquaculture potential on Opotiki’s doorstep.

“This decision from central government is the culmination of 15 years of hard graft by the Council, Whakatohea, private businesses and the wider community to bring this vision to reality.

“Our figures and planning have held up under intense scrutiny and we are thrilled that this is on the cusp of becoming a reality.

“We are what we like to call ‘spade-ready’. Short of having money in our account to start spending on people and materials, we are ready to go. We have the contracts and consents and the project plans. This funding is our green light.

“The harbour and its associated industry is a game changer for Opotiki. This is the start of a new era for our district – new jobs, new industry and a new way forward. And we are more than ready to grab this opportunity with both hands – get our rangatahi into real, long term and meaningful work. I can’t wait to see the innovative future we build for ourselves with this kick start,” Ms Riesterer said.

The $79.4 million funding announcement was made by Ministers Jones and Nash at the Infrastructure Conference in Auckland on 28 February 2020. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund.

This funding is in addition to $20 million pledged by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2013 as part of its Regional Infrastructure Fund. This funding established the local and regional commitment to the project. In the years since, the Eastern Bay councils have continued to work closely and align the area’s long term vision and regional funding projects.

Former Mayor, John Forbes, has advocated for this outcome for more than 20 years and said it was a proud moment for the whole community.

“This project is an excellent example of central, regional and local government working together in partnership with iwi, industry and private businesses to bring the best outcome not just for us here in Opotiki, but also for the region and for the nation.

“It is conventional infrastructure – like a road or a railway line or high speed internet – it underpins our economy. Where infrastructure goes, it enables new industry, new opportunities and growth.

“This project will boost New Zealand’s growing aquaculture industry and make us world-leaders in sustainable, high-value protein production. All in an area of provincial New Zealand that has a recent history of high deprivation and under employment.

“Opotiki is using this exciting piece of infrastructure to transform the social and economic future for the district,” Mr Forbes said.

Lyn Riesterer said that the community was ready to celebrate.

“I’m sure we’ll be taking a moment to celebrate this historic announcement and then we’ll get down to the brass tacks of making ourselves a harbour entrance.”

Conceptual image of Opotiki harbour training structures xblocs & rock (Tonkin & Taylor).

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Nasty nipper numbers on the rise Underwater trapping across the Bay of Plenty

coastline this summer by Bay of Plenty Regional Council confirmed that the aggressive Asian paddle crab has become well established in Tauranga Moana and has spread further along the coast.

Regional Council Female Asian paddle crab (Charybdis) in Biosecurity Officer berry caught in the Tauranga harbour.

Andy Wills explained that it is a disappointing result for local hapu, harbour users and the council alike.

“These crabs are nasty pieces of work. They have a huge appetite, feeding on shellfish such as pipi, tua tua and cockles - threatening kaimoana (seafood) stocks and potentially mussel farms in the region. They are also far more aggressive than your average native crab and can inflict a vicious bite with their large pincers if disturbed,” said Mr Wills.

The crabs were first found in Tauranga Harbour in January 2018 when two were caught near Matapihi Bridge. Following the discovery almost 1,200 traps were placed around the harbour, last summer catching just eight crabs. This summer the number caught has risen to 42 for Tauranga Harbour and for the first time two crabs were also caught in Ōhiwa Harbour.

“It’s not known how the pest originally spread to the region, but it’s likely that they either swam, floated here or hitched a ride on a fouled hull from further north. Asian paddle crabs are already widespread in Northland and the Hauraki Gulf,” Mr Wills commented.

Regional Council are looking to work with local hapū kaitiaki both in Tauranga Moana and Ōhiwa Harbour to help with further detection and control efforts. Regional Council are also keen to support a project being co-ordinated by Manaaki Te Awanui to explore options for trialling matāuranga Maori-based trapping methods.

Harbour users are encouraged to keep their boats clean and also keep an eye out for Asian paddle crabs. If the pests are discovered, they should be killed on site and reported via 0800 STOP PESTS (0800 786 773). It is illegal to move living pest crabs.

BOP Asian paddle crab detection history: 2017/18: 3 2018/19: 5 Nov 2019 - Jan 2020: 38 Feb 2020: 2 (Ohiwa Harbour) Feb 2020: 6 (Northern Harbour)

Additional information: • The Asian paddle crab is comparatively large; adults have a shell width of around 12cm and paddle-like hind legs.

• They have six distinct spines or spikes on each side of the eyes, differing from similar-looking native crabs which have just four or five spines in the same location.

• In New Zealand Asian paddle crabs prefer to hide in estuaries (where there is firm sand or muddy fine sand) in depths of up to 15m.

• As well as being very capable of swimming large distances, adult paddle crabs can produce hundreds of thousands of offspring. The larvae can float in the water for three to four weeks, during which time they can be moved large distances by tides and currents.

• Experiments have found that one hungry Asian paddle crab can consume up to 42 young bivalves (such as cockles, pipi or mussels) in 24 hours.

• The Asian paddle crab originates from South East Asia where it’s normally found in the waters of Japan, Korea and Malaysia. It was first reported in New Zealand when it was found in Auckland in 2000. It’s now become widespread in the Waitemata Harbour and wider Hauraki Gulf.

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Sights on alpine podium A team of Bay of Plenty dragon boaters is proving age is no barrier by competing in the 12th IDBF Dragon Boat Club Crew Word Championships 2020 in August.

France team: Lynette Jones, Maxine Raitt, Bets Thomas, Trish Boocock, Heather Marks, Helen Hunter and Julie Fox.

“We are absolutely delighted to have Stephanie onboard as our coach,” Bets says.

“She’s very experienced, having paddled and coached overseas for three years.

“She’s going to work us hard, and we welcome that; our goal is to finish on the podium.”

The team will arrive in France on August 21, and will have the opportunity to undertake one The women’s Senior C team (60+) training on the water before will compete in three events at the competition starts. six day competition, which will be With 217 clubs taking part in the held on the Lac du Bourget at competition, which runs from August Aix-les-Bains in the French Alps.

25-31, it is a busy race schedule; Team member Bets Thomas, who approximately eight boats will leave has been paddling for 13 years, says the start line every seven minutes over there is a lot of excitement amongst the six days. the 12-strong team.

The team will compete in “I attended the last Club World three events: the first two days of Champs in Adelaide in 2016 and I competition will include the 2000m was blown away by the experience. race, with no heats; days three and “It was like the Olympics; the four will include the 500m race, atmosphere was amazing.” with heats; and days five and six will The team, predominantly made include the 200m race, with heats. up of members of the local BOP Prizegiving will be held at the end Dragons women’s competitive team, of each category. will be coached by Stephanie Mott. 1 7/30/2019 Approved Version.pdf 4:55:54 PM

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Bay of Plenty Dragon Boat Clubs paddle in the Auckland Anniversary Regatta at the Viaduct in Auckland.

But before the team starts training for the event in earnest, they have the Regional Championships on March 14, and the National Championships on March 27 to get through first.

Bets says as there is no official Category C racing in New Zealand, the team had to be granted a dispensation from Dragon Boating New Zealand in order to race.

“This is the first time ever we’ve been in competition in our own age group.

“We’ve competed in the category down, in which we won gold and bronze at Nationals last year, but we are hoping the category will become part of New Zealand’s schedule.

“There is an increasing number of people in the 60+ category, and dragon boating is a great sport for all ages.

“There is an element of muscle memory and strength required but it’s not as high impact as running or other similar physical activity.”

The Bay of Plenty Dragon Boat Club has around 110 members in four teams: The BooBops, a breast cancer survivor team; the BOP Dragons, an all-women, competitive team; the BOP Dragon Flyers, a competitive mixed team; and the Free Dragons, a social non-competitive team.

Bets’ own team, the BOP Dragons, has members aged from

their late 20s to 70s, and is a cross section of women from all different walks of life.

“I’ve met so many great people through dragon boating that I would have otherwise never met,” Bets sys.

“There’s a great social aspect to dragon boating as well.”

The National Competition season starts at the end of September, with the NZDBA National Dragon Boat Championships ending the competition season in March/April of the following year.

During the competition season, teams may paddle up to three times a week at Sulphur Point in Tauranga.

During the off season, the club stays fit by paddling on a Saturday morning and at night time on occasion.

With dragon boating having become the fastest-growing sport world-wide, Bets says the club would love to form some secondary school teams.

The Bay of Plenty regional club now includes the Bay of Plenty down to Whakatane and the East Coast, inland to Rotorua and up to Thames.

Anyone interested in forming a team, or sponsoring the Senior C team on their trip to France in August, please contact the Bay of Plenty Dragon Boat Club at www.sporty.co.nz/bopdragonboating Anne Boswell

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Ensuring your boat is clean below and good to go Using the right anti-fouling paint for your boat, and

applying it both regularly and correctly is critical for preventing the spread of harmful marine pests.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Biosecurity Officer Hamish Lass said that by keeping their hulls clean, boat owners make it harder for pests to latch on and become more widespread.

“It only takes one infested boat in the wrong place, at the wrong time to create a costly problem in the Bay. The golden rule for hull maintenance is ‘no more than light slime, all the time’. We also ask people to re-check and clean their hull before they sail to a different area, every time,” commented Mr Lass.

Marine pests are a constant threat to the environment and hinder vessel efficiency and safety.

What you can do

• Thoroughly cleaning your hull before you leave your home port is the best approach.

• Remember that some councils have rules about cleaning your boat in the water.

• Choose the right antifoul for the way you use your boat, and keep it fresh.

• Keep your haulout/antifoul receipts onboard to provide as evidence of recent treatment or lift and wash

Tip

Close up of styela clava on boat hull Photo: BOPRC.

Pests such as fanworm are really good at hiding in nooks and crannies and even under your keel base, so make sure these get attention before your boat goes back in the water.

Anyone who sees a heavily fouled hull or suspicious marine life in the Bay of Plenty should report it to Regional Council by calling 0800 ST0P PESTS (0800 780 773).

A boat cleaning guide and further information about marine pests is available at www.marinepests.nz

Staff at Bridge Marina Travelift remove Mediterranean fanworm from an infested boat hull hauled out of Tauranga Harbour. waterline Autumn 2020

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Lady Clare Lady Clare was built for Nelson Tye of Whitianga. Launched in 1959-1960, the vessel was built by Jim Young of kauri carvel planked construction and powered by twin 4-cylinder 80hp Ford Diesels.

She was in survey and used as a game fishing charter boat out

of Whitianga, Tauranga and the Bay of Islands. She has had many game fish to her credit over the years and is a well proven vessel.

Lady Clare is currently on the market with Brian Worthington at Gulf Group Marine Brokers, Tauranga.

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Combating crayfish poaching

Another successful day out diving for crayfish on the east coast for Shannon Rea.

Poaching of fish is not new, it goes back centuries.

In old England, landlords refused to allow starving peasants to fish in the rivers and streams running through their properties.

The peasants took their chances under the cover of darkness if they wanted to feed their family fish. Nowadays poaching operations are a lot more sophisticated.

The illegal take of crayfish is estimated to be a large industry in New Zealand. That’s not surprising given the remote location of the best fishing spots.

This year recreational fishers on the east coast, from Waipu in the north, through the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty down to East Cape, will be required to clip the tail fan of each crayfish they intend to keep as part of their new daily bag limit of three. This method is called telson clipping and is intended to indicate that the crayfish cannot be bought, sold or traded.

LegaSea is concerned that not enough effort is going into educating fishers on the new rules.

Telson clipping

LegaSea wholeheartedly supports compliance initiatives to stop the illegal take of fish, and telson clipping has been discussed for years. We have asked officials for evidence that shows the effectiveness of telson clipping as a deterrent for large-scale poaching. None has been produced.

Without any evidence we’re not convinced of the merits of telson clipping. In our view, the poachers are intent on avoiding detection and a whole tail does not prove that the crayfish was legally landed by a commercial fisher for sale.

In reality, telson clipping does the opposite intended.

In the area from Waipu to East Cape telson clipping legitimises the illegitimate harvest, by making every unclipped rock lobster available for sale. This is not the outcome we want, especially when crayfish numbers on the east coast are so low.

Target individuals

In our recent submission to the Minister of Fisheries, Stuart Nash, we noted the costs of introducing telson clipping across the whole northeast management area. We submitted that MPI compliance resources would be better used to target the individuals who are taking, selling or buying illegal crayfish.

We also recommended to the Minister a simple and realistic solution to combating the illegal trade of rock lobster.

Traceability and identification of commercial catch destined for the local market would be much harder for poachers to circumvent than telson clipping.

Traceability is becoming increasingly popular amongst restauranteurs and consumers because it provides added benefit and assurance to everyone in the food chain. After all, who wants to pay $145 per kilo for a poached crayfish? waterline Autumn 2020

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Waka Hourua connects Migrating across the Pacific in a hand-built waka with only the stars to guide is a miraculous feat.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of New Zealand’s earliest inhabitants reached our shores this way and this remarkable voyaging capability is still on display today, with two waka hourua (double-hulled canoes) having recently taken part in the Tuia- Encounters 250 commemoration.

The event marked 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Maori and Pakeha and a flotilla of Pacific and European heritage vessels sailed around our coastline between October and December. Among them was Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, built by the late master waka builder Sir Hekenukumai (Hector) Busby.

This nine tonne, 15.8m long vessel is built from two kauri trees lashed together and can carry up to 12 people. She was launched in 2005 and is now based at Bridge Marina in Tauranga, under the care of experienced waka navigator Jack Thatcher.

“We have a voyaging navigation school that’s run around the operation of this waka,” he explains. “We’ve got young students

Haunui.

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from all around the country who for the past four years have been sailing her every summer.

“We’ve sailed around the coast of New Zealand and down to the Chatham Islands a couple of times. It’s a cool way of getting young people involved in a traditional activity. Young people love a challenge. They enjoy the independence and take pride in caring for this waka.”

In 2012 Ngahiraka sailed 10,000 nautical miles return to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to close the final corner of the Polynesian Triangle – defined by Hawaii in the north, New Zealand in the south, and Rapa Nui in the east. It was the first time the voyage had been completed in modern-day history and the navigators onboard were guided only by the stars, sun, currents, birds and moon.

Jack says the crew of Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti work in six hour shifts. Everybody has a turn at man-handling the steering paddle (which can be physically demanding in high winds), and there are a wide range of jobs on board which both men and women are capable of performing.

“Someone will navigate, some will look after the sails. Then we’ve got our cooks, our fishermen, our carpenters. Everybody has a different role. If something goes wrong, somebody has to fix it.

cts our past & present “I always jokingly say that voyaging is 80% boredom, about 15% fun, about 4% exhilaration and 1% absolute terror. If you can get over that 1% you’ll be good.”

Jack says it can be quite difficult for people if they experience the terror of a storm during their very first voyage. “You get those who you know won’t come back, and those who have a look in their eye that tells you even though they didn’t enjoy it, it won’t deter them.

“A waka is not a nice place to be all the time. It’s hard work and you’re tired. The fun times are when you have a fair wind that’s pushing you along at a higher rate than you expected to be going.

If it’s great sailing, you don’t want to be the guy who goes off course so you have to concentrate a little more. If it’s really strong and heavy sailing, then you get challenged.”

Jack says steering the paddle comes down to technique rather than brute strength. “I’ve seen some tiny wee women, who are strong and capable, handle the big paddle better than some big men. It’s all about technique when it comes to steering the waka beautifully.”

Having said that, he always likes to take a ‘Brutus’ on each voyage. “A Brutus is a guy who, if we have to anchor somewhere, he’s going to pull the anchor up. Otherwise it takes two or three people to do it. You really have to have a crew who can meet all the needs you might have on a long voyage.”

Jack was first introduced to waka in 1990 when New Zealand celebrated the Treaty of Waitangi’s 150th anniversary. He was given a leadership role in the ceremonial waka celebrations where he met Sir Hector Busby for the first time.

“Word came out he was looking for a crew to sail a traditional waka back to Rarotonga in 1992. I put my name forward and got chosen. I haven’t looked back since then.”

Jack now runs several wananga around the North Island during winter months to teach people about navigation and traditional

voyaging techniques.

He says the Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti is a good example of the type of waka early Maori would have used to cross the Pacific and reach New Zealand.

“We think she’s a close enough replica of the type of waka that would have come down this way. She might be a little smaller or she might be the same size, who’s to know.”

Some Maori can trace their whakapapa back to those early arrivals and as many as 150 ancestors can be tied to one waka.

“We see that as proof those waka weren’t travelling one way and they definitely didn’t make just the one trip. With that many people, it was probably over a few years where that vessel would have gone back and forth.”

For more details on the Tuia 250 commemoration, and a description of the vessels that were involved in the flotilla, visit https://www.tuia250.nz/tuia-flotilla/ Julia Proverbs

Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti.

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Gemfish, named makataharaki in Maori, are found in depths of 50 – 550 metres around the coastal waters of mainland New Zealand.

The species is typically caught caught by trawl between February and July on the northern and east coasts of the North Island.

Often deemed an “ugly fish”, gemfish have long spindly bodies, smooth, silver skin and large sharp teeth like barracouta. Its deep body, more silvery skin and two lateral lines distinguish gemfish from other fish of the same family.

Delicious on its own, or incorporated into a dish, gemfish is an extremely versatile and tasty eating fish.

White to pink in colour, fillets have a delicate, melt-in mouth texture and medium to high fat content that’s well suited to being baked, barbequed, marinated or pan-fried.

Once cooked, the fillets flake easily, making them an ideal protein for stirring through pastas and risottos.

The integrity of gemfish and its lack of pinbones make it an excellent choice for smoking. Its long curved bones are easy to remove and retaining them during the smoking process yields a succulent fillet that’s full of flavour.

Gemfish with babaganoush

For a light meal, try crunchy gemfish with babaganoush. In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp oats, 1tbsp quinoa, 1 tsp walnuts and 1tsp hazelnuts.

Place in an oven at 180 °C for 10 minutes, then blitz in a food processor to form a crumb.

Place one whole eggplant under a grill (highest setting) and leave for 5-10 minutes before turning.

Continue grilling until completely soft and the skin is starting to blister.

Remove from the grill, cut off the top of the eggplant and peel away the skin.

Baste two gemfish fillets with coconut oil, top with the crumb and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C depending on the fillet size. The fish will flake once cooked.

Place the eggplant meat into a food processor with 2tbsp tahini, the juice of half a lemon, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp parsley. Blend until smooth, season to taste. Spoon the babaganoush onto two plates and top with the gemfish.

For more ways to enjoy seafood, visit www.seafood.co.nz/ recipes/

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Kina stocks a p A Whakatane recreational diver and fisherman says an overpopulation of kina along the East Coast seabed is wreaking havoc on the habitat.

Darcy Barlow says he believes elevated numbers of kina – which he attributes to the overfishing of snapper and crayfish – are causing damage to the habitat in which many species of juvenile fish thrive.

A heated discussion was held on the NZ Fishing Community social media page in January when it was revealed that some members were “smashing up” kina for berley.

While some were unhappy that kina was being used in this way, others, including Barlow, said something needed to be done to reduce the current overpopulation of kina.

“Kina are kept at a healthy population when there is a healthy climate of crayfish and snapper, because they are eaten by them,” Darcy says.

“In my experience, there is a decimated crayfish population in the Eastern Bay of Plenty; there’s not a whole lot of snapper and crayfish around the inshore fishing areas out of Whakatane.”

Barlow says he has witnessed the disappearance in seaweed, particularly around the Rurima Rocks, a group of islands off the coast of Whakatane.

“Compared to when I was younger, there’s hardly any seaweed anymore, and there are big kina barrens out there now.”

A Fisheries New Zealand spokesperson said they were aware of reports that the number of kina is higher and increasing in some areas.

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a polarising issue in EBOP “This high abundance can have an impact on other species, for example, creating kelp ‘barrens’,” the spokesperson said.

“Fisheries New Zealand see kina as an important species for customary, recreational and commercial fishers, and are not considered to be a pest by Fisheries New Zealand.”

In 2019, Fisheries New Zealand reviewed the management settings for the area known as SUR 1B which covers kina in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

After public consultation and engagement with tangata whenua the Minster of Fisheries made the decision not to change the current settings for kina. The Minister noted that kina are a taonga species and that there was strong concern expressed by Iwi Fisheries Forums around proposals to increase catch limits.

“There are complexities around understanding the establishment of kina barrens, and it is unlikely that historical reductions of snapper and crayfish populations will be the sole contributor,” the spokesperson said.

“Fisheries New Zealand is looking at ways to address issues in the kina fishery, including gathering information specifically on the ecosystem effects of kina barrens to inform

decisions on future management of kina around New Zealand.

“As part of the Minister’s decisions we will be developing a collaborative management plan that clearly identifies all stakeholder aspirations, and considers ways of gathering better information in the fishery.

“The snapper and crayfish stocks which encompass the Bay of Plenty area (SNA1 and CRA2) are both currently under formal rebuild plans, in order to

bring the stocks back to target levels.

As these stocks rebuild, we will also be monitoring to see if there is an effect on kina populations.”

Barlow said he would support commercial or recreational restrictions on snapper and crayfish until stocks rebuild, but believes current numbers of kina need to be reduced to allow that to happen.

“We need to get rid of the kina to allow for snappers and crayfish to come back.”

Anne Boswell

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Beau Geste is exceptionally fast

Beau Geste, a Mod 70 trimaran, is one of the speediest boats in the Southern Hemisphere.

Beau Geste has been undergoing a refit at Tauranga’s Vessel Works.

The mod-70 trimaran set race records at the PIC Coastal Classic last year.

The helm station.

The crew have been making the most of “untouched” water in Tauranga.

And after a full refit at Tauranga’s Vessel Works, she’s travelling even faster than before.

“It’s quite a standout boat – you wouldn’t see another in the Tauranga Harbour,” says boat captain Spencer Loxton.

Beau Geste was unleashed on Tauranga waters in February for sea trials following the refit.

Spencer says the trials have been a success so far.

“We have improved on what we wanted to, particularly in terms of speed.”

The 70-foot boat weighs seven tonnes and is owned and skippered by Hong Kong-based Karl Kwok.

During sea trials, a crew of ten took Beau Geste out on the water for about five hours a day over a two-week period.

Sea trials involve rigorous testing and ongoing data recording, says Spencer.

“We are just trying to make sure all our work on-land has been executed properly.”

“Before the boat went into the water, it had been stripped down,” says Spencer.

Since being here, the crew have made the most of Tauranga’s “great facilities” in and out of the water.

“We have used lots of supplies for the fit-out from around Tauranga. It’s a big part of why we came down here. Most of the parts we used were made in New Zealand.”

Spencer says the amount of sea-room was also a big incentive for being based in the Bay. “We can launch the boat here, and it’s only a half-hour sail out into the ocean.

This is pretty handy for when we are doing sea trials.”

He describes the water in Tauranga as “untouched”, saying not many race yachts make use of the space.

“Normally we are travelling at about 25

to 30 knots, it’s easy for us to run out of space.

“We need as much space as we can get, which is another reason why we spend so much time in Tauranga.”

“It’s untouched here apart from the shipping lane, this is unheard of throughout the rest of the world.”

The Beau Geste crew set race records last year at the PIC Coastal Classic, finishing in first place with a time of five hours and 37 seconds. “This was quite a big win for New Zealand.”

But where will Beau Gest be racing next?

That is yet to be decided, says Spencer.

Shore crew member Connor Regan polishing up Beau Geste.

“We will probably do some more sea trials here for the time being.”

The Mod 70 trimaran was set to compete in the 2020 China Sea Race in April, however, this has been postponed due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Spencer, who has been the boat captain for the past two years, says a sense of adventure is important when racing.

“Winning - that’s our incentive to work as hard as we do. We try to sail as fast as we can, as safely as possible.”

He says love for being out on the water is also essential. “All the crew surf and fish in their spare time. Loving the water just goes with the job.”

Emma Houpt

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Seaweed delicacy Kiwis have done it before. Used ingenuity and entrepreneurial talents to create profitable industries from unwanted pests including feral deer, goats and possums. Now attention is turning to a pest of the sea.

The venture to harvest the invasive seaweed undaria from Coromandel mussel farms and create a premium edible export product holds significant promise, but also faces significant obstacles, says Lucas Evans, who is a director of Wakame Fresh, the company behind the initiative.

Undaria or ‘wakame’ first appeared in New Zealand waters in the 1980s, brought here by cargo ships. It is classified as an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act because it competes with native aquatic plants and clogs the dropper ropes of mussel farms. In fact, it is one of nine marine species on the list of the world’s 100 worst invasive species.

However, undaria is also an edible seaweed widely used in Asia, Japan in particular, and is most often served in soups and salads.

Japanese aquatic farmers have grown wakame commercially since around 710 AD. Lucas says today’s Japanese seaweed market has an estimated annual value of more than US $2 billion and “there’s a real opportunity for our Coromandel product to be a high-value offering”.

Wakame Lucas Evans and Lance Townsend.

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For the last seven years Lucas and fellow director Lance Townsend have been harvesting undaria for domestic consumption. They began exporting salted product to Australia in 2018.

Future funding

However, the most lucrative market is in Japan and now Wakame Fresh has received $75,000 from the Government’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund to investigate the commercial viability of harvesting, processing and exporting the edible seaweed to Japan where quality wakame is in short supply.

The first project to receive money from the Ministry for Primary Industries fund, Wakame Fresh is contributing $114,182 to the commercial viability test.

Wakame Fresh has also received an invaluable boost to its endeavours from a consortium of two Japanese companies, Kataoka Corporation and Sankou Foods, which have invited Wakame Fresh to participate in a trial to explore the prospect of exporting New Zealand-produced wakame to Japan on a commercially-viable basis.

This invitation followed a visit in October 2018 by CEOs of the two companies and Lucas says the resulting trial is an opportunity to build a relationship with a Japanese organisation that offers in-market expertise and networks.

“The relationship could take various forms, but the importance of a committed local channel partner should not

along with any inferior quality leaf. These segments are stored in a separate bin, to be later used as compost.

When a container of undaria of a quality suitable for processing as salted wakame is full, the seaweed is blanched for about 45 seconds in water heated to between 80 and 90 degrees Celsius before being plunged into the first of two cooling tubs.

Vivid green colour

A plate of freshly blanched Wakame.

be underestimated. In addition, the trial and the relationship provide an opportunity to access wakame experts and develop a wakame knowledge base and manufacturing capability in New Zealand.”

Challenges ahead

Last October Wakame Fresh released the Whakatiputipu Feasibility Report, a year-long study investigating the opportunities and obstacles to the establishment of a successful seaweed industry, not only in the Thames-Coromandel region, but nationally too.

“The feasibility report has led to a rapid increase in our knowledge and understanding of the salted wakame market in Japan and the methods available to produce this in New Zealand,” says Lucas.

While the report highlighted the opportunities offered by the Japanese market, where wakame is a popular part of the cuisine, it also identified the significant challenges for New Zealand to overcome – including distance to market, knowledge of production techniques and the market, and competitors with lower production costs and centuries of accumulated experience.

Lucas says one of those obstacles is the cost associated with removing the mid-rib of the undaria, which is an ingredient used in other products but traditionally cut away by hand from salted wakame. This is an expensive process in New Zealand because of the high cost of labour.

Wakame Fresh is keen to find a mechanical solution but so far removing the stem by machine has adversely affected the quality. “We are working to find an automatic solution but in the meantime are factoring in the cost of manual removal into our economic projections.”

Winter harvests

Blanching undaria almost immediately after harvesting turns it a vibrant green colour, a vital indicator of quality and is also thought to influence the texture of the final product.

Back onshore the undaria is salted in brine, removed and deribbed. The next step is to press the product to remove excess moisture, before packaging ready for market.

Undaria has become well-established in New Zealand waters in both the North and South Islands, and Lucas says even intensive harvesting from mussel farms is likely to be economically sustainable long-term. There is also the future possibility for farming the seaweed if lucrative markets can be established.

The success of Wakame Fresh, and the undaria industry in New Zealand, depends on this country being able to produce a product that consumers in Japan will pay a premium for.

A recent development, which may work to New Zealand’s advantage, is that the Japanese Government is to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling this year. “Currently, some Chinese wakame, which many Japanese consumers consider as of lower quality, is sold under Japanese branding,” says Lucas.

Premium product

Establishing a New Zealand brand as a premium product, possibly supported by scientific evidence from research yet to be concluded, which may show that wakame from its waters is higher in certain vitamins and has less mercury than Northern Hemisphere wakame, may help ensure it receives a premium in the markets.

“It is not yet clear-cut that exporting wild-harvested salted Wakame to Japan is a commercially-viable and sustainable opportunity,” says Lucas.

“There are many challenges and hurdles that must first be overcome and much more knowledge and understanding that must be gained.

“Given the track record New Zealand has of innovating to solve problems and develop new aquaculture solutions, Wakame Fresh remains optimistic that we can overcome many of these challenges,” says Lucas. To find out more about Wakame Fresh, see: https://wakamefresh.co.nz

By Elaine Fisher

An invasive seaweed, which is also a gourmet delight, grows on droppers of Coromandel mussel farms.

To date Wakame Fresh has been a low-key operation, harvesting undaria in collaboration with Gilbert James and David Blyth from Gold Ridge Marine Farm Ltd, who have provided access to their Coromandel mussel farms.

“We only harvest in winter and process the wakame inside a converted shipping container which we have equipped especially for the product.”

Supported so far by casual staff, with this year’s commercial feasibility trial the company will require more employees.

“We hope to work with local iwi and government to find employment solutions as at this stage paying wages could be a challenge.”

The process of harvesting begins when barges lift droppers, festooned with undaria, from the mussel farms. Stripped from the droppers by knife, the top and bottom of the seaweed is cut off, waterline Autumn 2020

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Don’t let a rip get the better of you Rips claim the lives of dozen of New Zealanders every year – people who are caught unawares, panic and exhaust themselves trying to swim back to shore against a current that will almost always win.

If you’re swimming, surfing or paddling along our coastlines this summer, it’s important to learn how to read the conditions to avoid danger and know how to escape a rip if you’re in one.

WaterSafety NZ says 64 people have died in rips in the Bay of Plenty alone since 1980. If you look carefully enough, you’ll almost always be able to spot a rip somewhere along the beach. It’s worth noting that rips can be harder to spot on windy days. They can also shift to a different spot within a few hours so stop and regularly check your surroundings.

What are rip currents?

A rip forms when waves break over a sandbar near the shoreline. The water and its momentum get trapped between the sandbar and shore but it must have somewhere to go. That pressure is relieved once a rip forms. This narrow but powerful stream of water and sand moves swiftly away from shore. Rip currents can vary in size and speed but are found on virtually every beach. They won’t pull you under the water – instead they’ll carry you out further, away from shore.

What to look for • Calm patches where waves are breaking on each side. Waves don’t tend to break in a rip as the water flows in the 36

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opposite direction • Rippled or criss-cross water • Discoloured or murky brown water caused by sand stirred up off the bottom • Foamy water with debris like seaweed floating out to sea

What to do if caught in a rip

Remember the 3Rs Rip Survival Plan: • RELAX and float to conserve your energy • RAISE your hand to signal for help • RIDE the rip until it stops and you can swim back to shore or help arrives.

Swimming between the flags is the safest way to avoid rips as lifeguards choose spots well away from dangerous feeder currents that can sweep you sideways into a rip.

Surf Lifesaving NZ Eastern Regional

Manager, Chase Cahalane, says rips are “almost always” responsible for swimmers getting into trouble. Last summer (2018/19) there were 700 rescues and assists carried out nationwide due to rips.

“They’re absolutely everywhere and this summer, anecdotally, we have done more rip rescues than in the previous season.

We’ve had more surf and even better weather so we’ve had a lot of people on the beach. The lifeguards have been very busy.”

Chase says an easy way to identify rips is by looking on Google Maps using satellite imagery. “At low tide you can see all the wet sand – everywhere it looks like there’s a wee river or lines going out on the sand, on high tide those will be the rips. Every single one of them. Water always wants to move in the path of least resistance. A rip is essentially a river within the ocean that flows out to where the water is the deepest.”

There are many variables involved including how much sand is carved out in any one place, whether there are any water outlets like estuaries or stormwater pipelines present, the size of the surf, and the size and strength of the tide.

Chase says an exceptionally strong rip on an outgoing tide could take you 80m or more out to sea. “The most recent research on rips actually shows most of them follow a horseshoe style shape. So if you do relax and float and can manage to stay calm, you’ll end up being washed back in.”

While looking for calm patches is a good indicator, some rips don’t exhibit stereotypical features and currents could be moving underneath the waves, he warns.

With that in mind, the number one rule should always be ‘if in doubt, stay out!’

Jo-Marie Baker

Swim between the flags.

The impacts of future climate change on our oceans

Submarine volcanic vent.

A diver collecting samples near a volcanic vent

University of Otago scientists are leading research into the possibility that the shallow submarine vents off New Zealand’s volcanic Whakaari/White Island could provide a natural laboratory to study the impacts of future climate change on our oceans.

Submarine vents have natural gradients in climate variables like pH and temperature making them useful examples of future seawater conditions.

Over the past few decades scientists have investigated submarine vents, particularly in deep waters, tropical and subtropical waters and in warm temperate seas to evaluate the long-term effects of climate change on our oceans.

“Vent studies in cold temperate waters in the southern hemisphere are scarce and it is important to know how climate change, and ocean acidification in particular, will affect our temperate species and ecosystems,” says Dr Rebecca Zitoun of the University of Otago’s Chemistry Department.

Whakaari/White Island provides a rare opportunity to observe submarine vent systems in relatively shallow water, close to land.

It also has a high biodiversity and is accessible by SCUBA, but most importantly for scientists, Whakaari/White Island’s shallow vents produce acidic water with a very low pH (as low as 6.8 pH compared to standard sea water being approximately 8.1 pH) and water temperatures of up to one degree Celsius higher than ambient seawater in the area.

“These parameters mimic ocean conditions predicted for the year 2100 and beyond. All these features make Whakaari/White Island a really interesting and valuable site for climate change research,” says Rebecca.

“We can look at what life survives there, and how those organisms adapt in order to survive. Because the waters around Whakaari/White Island are representative of future seawater

conditions we can set-up long-term observations of the organisms living at the vents to improve our understanding of how marine life and ecosystems will respond to the changing climate.”

The first investigation in December 2015, funded primarily by a University of Otago Ocean Acidification Research Theme, involved seventeen scientists from eight institutions in New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Brussels, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Preliminary data on physical, geochemical and biological characteristics of this shallow vent system were collected using divers and snorkelers, creating an integrated picture of the current state of the shallow vent system.

The results of this study have been published in Marine and Freshwater Research, a mammoth effort with 14 co-authors. Link: https://www.publish.csiro.au/mf/MF19167 Rebecca and her colleagues found that the vents do create seawater conditions with pH, temperature and carbonate chemistry values as predicted for beyond the year 2100, but they also have a number of caveats. The alteration of carbonate chemistry occurs in only quite small areas around the vents and there are high concentrations of mercury and sulphide at both vent and control sites with levels considered biologically toxic.

“This potential toxicity presents more research opportunities, really, because we can expect to be dealing with the runoff of wastewater discharges and pollution into waterways in the future, which will increase levels of metals and elements in our rivers, estuaries and oceans. Thus Whakaari/White Island, with its low pH, high temperatures and higher than ambient concentrations of some metals and elements can be seen as a great multi-stressor laboratory. Scientists can learn a lot here.”

The first steps have been made towards establishing a baseline of biological and geochemical parameters around the volcanic site, so that now scientists can get on with studying how physical climate change is likely to drive ecological changes in a real environment. waterline Autumn 2020

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Spike in food gathering fatalities A spike in underwater, rock fishing and boating incidents has seen New Zealand’s provisional preventable drowning toll increase to almost the five year average after a drop in 2018.

There were 78 preventable drowning fatalities last year, increasing 18 per cent compared to the 66 fatalities in 2018.

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Jonty Mills says the toll reflects the complex nature of drowning in NZ. “Drowning is not one dimensional. The numbers represent a wide range of age, ethnicities, activities and water environments.” says Jonty.

Of note are significant increases in land based fishing fatalities (12 up from 6 in 2018) and underwater diving (11 up from 5 in 2018).

Powered Boat fatalities have spiked with 11 deaths, which is just above the 2014 – 2018 five year average of 10.

Jonty says the satisfaction that comes from catching food from the water is not worth losing your life over.

“Obviously there’s a recreation and cultural aspect but sometimes there is pressure to put food on the table, resulting in unnecessary risk taking.

It’s so important fishers and divers follow the best

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water safety practice so they come home to their families.”

Best practice means rock fishers, net fishers and shell fishers wearing lifejackets.

In over a third of the 12 powered boating fatalities last year, lifejackets were not available or not worn correctly.

Jonty says people who have had a break from diving should get a health check from a doctor before getting back in the water.

Assessing conditions, having some form of waterproof communication, and having someone with you is also important.

It has also been a tragic year for under-fives, with seven preventable drowning fatalities compared to three in 2018.

“The key message for under-five water safety is constant active adult supervision and to avoid distraction. We urge people to assess potential water hazards around their home, and take appropriate action.”

Preventable fatalities in the 55-64 year age group have doubled, increasing from six to 12.

Non-fatal drowning statistics have not yet be analysed and will be available after March this year, and included in the final 2019 drowning report.

Read the 2019 Provisional Drowning Report, here: https://infogram.com/2019-provisionaldrowning-report-1hdw2jd7ev0o2l0?live.

Drowning data is sourced from Water Safety NZ.

The year end event for the Mount Maunganui Yacht Club was the Christmas Raft Up. It was one of the spring days expected close to Christmas – cool and breezy but with plenty of sunshine.

The raft was at Panepane Point and first on the scene was Wizzard whose anchor was asked to hold the six other boats that arrived. The breezy conditions and outgoing tide proved too much requiring numerous resets which, added to the copious Christmas catering, provided plenty of activity on board.

The cool conditions and swift tide meant that there was no interest in any swimming, not even from the kids even though the raft is an ideal swimming platform.

Lots of stories got told, nibbles got nibbled and beverages downed to celebrate the end of the successful Mt Maunganui year.

The highlight was the second annual Drink Bottle Boat race. The rules are simple: one bottle, no glues. This year most entries were along the same lines as the winner from last year. A catamaran with a downwind sail. To ensure that there was no course side bias the race was conducted across three races, with all points counting. The trophy was once again taken by Gary Bishell with his spinnaker version of last year’s winner.

The exception was Carl Preece’s entry which was a finely engineered keeler with considerably more sail that the conditions justified.

Once the scissors were deployed to take several reefs Carl’s only keeler entry. in the main sail it proved to be very successful and fast on the reach, which was, unfortunately for him, entirely in the wrong direction. Next year there may be a course change…

The post Christmas summer is shaping up to be another scorcher and starts for the Club with the TaurangaWhangamata Race. The race is the second in the coastal series being run by the club for the first time this season.

The Whangamata race is expected to be the usual a well supported event, which is run alternate years by the Mount Maunganui Yacht Club (starting from Tauranga) and the Whangamata Yacht Club with a Whangamata start.

This year the start line is at Tauranga and there is always a good number of entries from the Whangamata Yacht Club who make the trip down on Friday night for the start early on Saturday. The challenge for the event is organising a berth in Whangamata for the increasing number of deep draft boats participating.

The final leg of the Coastal Series is the Mayor Island Race.

The race will be to Mayor Island where the prizegiving and evening social will be held. Details of the race are available from the website: www.mmyc.org.nz.

The last event for the Club’s Summer programme will be the 2nd annual Sand Bar Cricket Match. The date has been set at Saturday 14 March to coincide with the lowest tide of the summer and beat the change to Daylight saving. With the newly-dredged harbour channel, deep draft boats are able to ‘moor’ alongside the bank and participate or spectate on the cricket happening in the middle of the harbour. This was an enjoyable event last year and is a good way to make the most of the last of Daylight saving and summer weather. Details will be available on the website.

Adam Yates

Prizegiving for Gary Bishell’s reprised entry.

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Super sailor makes fin Tauranga lost a renowned sailor and community identity with the recent passing of Mike McCormick.

He also did several trans-Atlantic deliveries, honing his navigation skills.

After a stint in Bristol in the UK working for the Bristol Wire Rope Company, he returned to New Zealand in 1970.

Shortly afterwards he, Bill Belcher and the late Noel Angus founded a rigging business in Tauranga.

Mike later opened his own shop in Tauranga, Mike McCormick Rigging Services, now run by son Scott.

Besides his business relationship with Noel Angus, Mike crewed for him on the one-tonner Mustang and later bought a half-share in the yacht.

It was fitting that Mike was farewelled by family and friends at Tauranga Yacht Club on February 14.

Born in Auckland, Mike began sailing at the age of two aboard his family’s first boat, the Winifred.

He left school at 15 after spending much of his time among the boatbuilders at St Mary’s Bay (now Westhaven Marina).

This saw him become an apprentice Weekend racing yacht rigger – the first pleasure yacht After working all week rigging in rigger (as distinct from commercial yacht Tauranga, he would spend the weekends rigging) in New Zealand - with John Burns racing Mustang in Auckland.

Ltd in downtown Auckland.

He joined the Hong Kong entrant Ceil for In 1966 he joined the 12m yacht Rival for the Mike and his wife Maryann. the 1971 One Ton Cup in Auckland, and later that second Auckland to Suva race.

Photo: John Macfarlane year joined the New Zealand team for the 1971 In Suva he joined the 15.2m ketch Windwagon Southern Cross Cup (SCC) which included that and stayed on for nearly a year, cruising the Pacific. year’s Sydney-Hobart race.

He left Windwagon in San Francisco and got another crewing The following year Mike joined the John Lidgard-designed job delivering a yacht from New York to San Francisco via the half-tonner Kidnapper, completing the Half Ton Cup in Sydney Panama Canal. as navigator, then the Sydney-Hobart race as skipper/navigator.

While this particular voyage finished in the Caribbean, Mike quickly In 1975 he was part of a team of top New Zealand sailors who found other opportunities as crew/skipper delivering yachts from New tackled the prestigious Admiral’s Cup for the first time.

York and Connecticut to Florida or the Caribbean for the winters.

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final voyage Two years later he joined Ray Hasler’s Jenny H campaign for the One Ton Cup in Auckland, the SCC in Sydney and the Sydney-Hobart race.

New Zealand fielded another team, with Mike as navigator, for the 1981 Admiral’s Cup with the late Ian Gibbs’ Swuzzlebubble, Two years later, Mike joined Gibbs for another Admiral’s Cup attempt, and raced regularly with him in several Southern Cross Cups, Sydney-Hobarts and Kenwood Cups.

He navigated aboard Pacific Sundance in the 1983 SCC, and two years later navigated for an English team in the 1985 Admiral’s Cup, before again representing New Zealand in the 1985 SCC series as navigator.

In all, in addition to four Admiral’s Cups, Mike completed 12 SydneyHobart races and countless other off-shore and international races.

Vast knowledge

In later years, Mike linked up with fellow Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club stalwart Roger Rushton aboard his racing yacht Frenzy.

Roger, a past club commodore, said he had the good fortune to sail with Mike for a decade in events around New Zealand including the Coastal Classic (Auckland to Russell) and the Auckland to Tauranga Easter Ocean Race. “I was proud to have him on board sailing with me.”

The pair originally met in 1998 through Mike’s rigging business.

Roger says Mike had vast sailing knowledge, gained at the highest possible level. “He had done 200,000 blue water yacht racing miles.”

His navigational skills were legendary, says Roger. “With no GPS, he could navigate with a sextant and the stars.” He says Mike would give freely of his time and experience to club members at the TYPBC, especially young sailors. “A tremendous bloke.”

Mike was responsible for boat handicaps at the club for several years, while also sponsoring numerous sailing events.

In 2018, the Mount Maunganui Yacht Club named its race to Mercury Island the Mike McCormick Regatta in honour of his decades of sailing involvement.

Mike was also one of the longest serving Yachting New Zealand safety inspectors, covering racing yachts and NZ-registered vessels heading overseas.

Salt of the earth

Bruce Goodchap learnt from Mike and became an inspector in the Bay of Plenty 10 years ago. “Mike was well known and well respected,” says Bruce. “The salt of the earth.”

While calm, Mike was “very black and white”, says Bruce. “There was no bullshit.”

Mike remained a Yachting NZ chief safety inspector up until 12 months ago. Steve Glover, who knew Mike for 50 years, says “You can’t sum him up.”

“It hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone.”

The head of Steve’s Marine Supplies in Tauranga knew Mike from age three when his father – Alan Glover – started to sail.

Alan and Mike remained firm friends and met on a Monday with the “old boys” at Tauranga Yacht Club.

Mike handled the rigging on the Glover family boats and later Steve’s own vessel. Also sailing with the Glover family, Mike was an amazing tactician and navigator, says Steve.

Steve and Mike also steered customers to their respective businesses.

“He was able to teach you (about sailing) without you thinking you were being taught,” says Steve. “He was a man who would have forgotten more about sailing than 99 per cent of us will ever know.”

Mike McCormick is survived by his wife Maryann and four sons, with four grandchildren. Maryann expressed her gratitude to all those who attended Mike’s funeral service, which she said was deeply appreciated by her and the family.

Steve Edwards

Mike McCormick began sailing at the age of two aboard his family’s first boat, the Winifred. Photo: Robin Elliot.

In 1977 Mike McCormick joined Ray Hasler’s Jenny H campaign for the One Ton Cup in Auckland, the Southern Cross Cup in Sydney and the Sydney-Hobart race. Photo: Farr Yacht Design.

Right: Mike McCormick delivered the Wai Aniwa, which yachting icon Chris Bouzaid sailed to his second One Ton Cup victory in Sydney in 1971. Photo: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. *Additional reporting: John Macfarlane/Boating NZ waterline Autumn 2020

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ing Wakeboarda sport for the whole family Brianna Stewart

Being the youngest in the family, she was often relegated to the position of spotter. She quickly became sick of watching and desperately wanted in on the action.

“My brother and my dad are both into wakeboarding. I was just jealous really. One day Dad let me have a go and it just stuck.”

Today she gets out on the water with her dad, Kevin, and their 2019 Sea-Doo GTX 230 jetski as often as they can.

She says it is special to get to wakeboard with her dad.

“There’s not many people who can say they have a dad who wakeboards. It’s pretty cool.”

Kevin says he enjoys getting to spend the time with his daughter.

“Occasionally I get to show her up too, so that’s a bonus.”

There is a lot of competitive spirit in this family and Maddy says it shows on the water.

“When I was first learning, Dad could switch [the foot that is at the front of his board] and I just thought ‘I have to do that.’

“It becomes a bit of a competition of who can do a trick first and then who can do it best.”

Maddy continues to wakeboard eight years on for a number of reasons, but most of all “it’s just fun.”

“I find it de-stresses me quite a lot. My favourite part is feeling like you have no stress and nothing to worry about. It all just seems to disappear once you hit the water.

“It gets you out with family and friends and it’s always a good time. There’s never anything negative – unless you hurt yourself of course.”

In the way of injuries, the Hogans and their regular water crew have just about seen it all – everything from minor sprains, strains and bruises to more worrying instances of being winded and taking knocks to the head. Most of these, of course, stem from that competitive drive and desire to nail the next trick.

Choppy waters

Maddy and Kevin have not had the opportunity to try out many new tricks this summer due to strong winds creating choppy water.

In the Bay it feels like we have been living in a hot, dry wind tunnel since November. It’s the type of weather that desperately makes you want to get out on the water but also scares off a lot of boaties.

“The wind has impacted us a lot, but probably not as much as if we had a boat,” Maddy says.

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“With a jetski you can still go out and have fun in the waves, whereas I find people I know with boats are more reluctant to go out and wakeboard in rougher conditions.

“Jetskis can go out in much shallower water so you can be in different places quite easily compared to boats which need deeper water.

“We are able to pick when we go based on what suits us and what the wind is doing. We’re not as bound by the tides as boats are.

“We can basically take the jetski out no matter where or when or what it’s like. The wind does affect it though and sometimes you can’t get around that. If it’s really choppy I don’t like to go out, but who does?”

Maddy hails from Auckland and says both her hometown and the Bay of Plenty are good for jetskiing in different ways.

She likes that it does not take very long to get to a ski lane in Tauranga Harbour but says there is a lot less to see here compared to the islands and volcanoes of Auckland.

“It was always cool as a kid being able to visit different islands each trip like Waiheke, Motuihe and Rangitoto.”

The Hogans also enjoy visiting the Rotorua lakes for some fresh water fun.

“The lake is nice because you don’t need to clean anything and you can usually find a quiet spot,” Maddy says.

Maddy and Kevin have passed their passion for wakeboarding on to numerous others over the years, including myself.

Anyone who joins them on their jetski is given the opportunity to learn the basic techniques required to pop out of the water and go home pleased with a new skill.

They function on the idea that anyone can do anything if they are given the right opportunity.

Great spots for wakeboarding

Matakana Island ski lane (between Panepane Point and Panepane Wharf) Very popular spot, can become crowded quickly.

Hunters Creek -Note restrictions in place: for two hours either side of low tide this area becomes a five knot zone.

Ocean side of Matakana Island: Also used by fishermen and is strongly impacted by changing tides.

Honeymoon Bay – Lake Rotoiti: Great lunch spot with longdrop facilities, has a ski lane on opposite side of point Hot water beach – Lake Rotoiti: Sheltered differently than Honeymoon Bay ski lane, good for low southerly winds.

Boyes Beach - Lake Okareka: Great spot for a larger crowd as it is accessible by road, however does not a have a ski lane so wakeboarders will need to start offshore past the yellow buoys.

Maddy Hogan learned to wakeboard at around age 12 out of jealousy.

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