Conditions prevailingon a bar or in river approachesmay cause unusually sudden steepand often breaking seas. A Maritime New Zealand report published today reveals almost 100 people died in recreational boating accidents between January 2015 and December 2020. Tie down any loose objects such as anchor, and ropes. From January-April the seas can be alive with albacore tuna and many westies gather these and salt then freeze them to provide months worth of great snapper bait. He hurriedly hoisted a second semaphore arm to advise street north, but the ship sailed on, so he lowered the first arm, indicating do not take the bar. But I will continueto go down to a river mouth with aswell pushing in from the RoaringForties and listen for the moaningof the bar. "We're interested in what people have to say, of course, particularly the survivor, but also what the families and friends of the crew knew about their plans for the trip," said Hendel. Because of the large harbour area and narrow mouth between the Manukau Heads, tidal flow is rapid and a bar at the mouth makes navigating in or out of the harbour dangerous. 3.6K views, 59 likes, 5 loves, 19 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Papakura Coastguard: Manukau bar crossing! "Fortunately the vessel concerned was well equipped and the skipper had followed standard safety procedures. However, no amount of experienceor boat type makes crossing a bar safewhen the conditions are marginal oradverse. Some locals come to the tip heads when its rough to watch the fishing boats do this. Combine all these conditions and you end up with what the locals call "the washing machine", breaking rollers with white-tops of a metre or more, coming at you from four directions - swell-driven, wind-driven, tidal-driven and then rebounding off the sandbars and sharp cliffs that drop to the entrance. There hasnever been a major accident involvingthe cement boats, which load foran under-keel clearance of between0.8 and 1.0 m. Every now and then they brush the bottom as they cross the bar, losing a little antifouling paint. "Coastguard probably should have had someone out there, but I know it's all voluntary and it can be tough.". You dont usually drown whenyou get wrecked on the bar. You can log a Bar Crossing report by calling *500 on your mobile or contacting Coastguard radio from your VHF Radio and providing the following information: The Coastguard Radio team will put you on a SAR (search and rescue) watch for between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the bar youre crossing. Conditionschange quickly and unpredictably. When the bar had to be unblocked by hand, you needed a large height differential between the lagoon and the sea. Part two of this series covers some of his best spots in the Far North and Bay of Islands. Destination, route and estimated time of arrival (ETA). Whereas the old entrance had been no more than 80 m wide and 34 m deep, the breach was up to 500 m wide but less than a metre deepa nightmare for navigation. Let Coastguard know where and when youre crossing; theyll put you on a watch, so if you dont close your report within 15-30 minutes well launch a search. If it's smooth that is a big enough problem - if it's wind-driven slop with the top third of the waves breaking, you're in big danger. Sand bars that form at the mouthsof rivers are called river deltas, whilethose that form in estuaries andharbour entrances are called tidaldeltas, a name that reflects the roleof tidal currents in their formation. Crossing at high tide is best (but always take the weather and swell into consideration too). They started monitoring water flows in the harbour, and came to the conclusion that the breach entrance was allowing insufficient flushing of the original channel to keep it clear. "The most dangerous bit of that harbour is the bar, and there were 200 reported crossings, you could say another 100 on top that don't report their crossings, it was an accident waiting to happen.". All the info you need to check the conditions is available on numerous websites such as Bureau of Meteorology, Coast Watch, Seabreeze and Willy Weather. In a good flood, theriver itself blows a hole throughthe bar, he says. Burnett ordered the boats away. The larger the river, thegreater the deposition. Safety tips for crossing the Manukau Bar Always check the swell, tide and wind conditions - every crossing of the Manukau Bar is different because of these factors. The Manukau Harbour has a fearsome reputation, many souls having departed this world in its waters. . Photo / Hayden Woodward. Which bar youre crossing (including whether youre heading in or out over the bar). Okarito lagoon owes its existence to the barthat forms its seawardflank, and the bar isformed and replenished by materialeroded from the Southern Alps. They did not have waterproof communications equipment aboard and were unable to call for assistance. "When I got back to the beach they were doing CPR on [the victims] and then they dropped the [rescue] helicopter but it was not going to happen, they weren't coming back.". In a statement released late this morning, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage said the coastline near the site sustained significant damage in recent weather events and is no longer suitable for the memorial. Theguys wife was due to have a baby,so they were going to come in andI would take over. The Manukau Harbour is the second . "Most importantly, file a trip report with the Coastguard at frequency "81" or the general Coastguard channel "16" on the VHF band. The better strategy at such times, says Barnes, is to seek sea roomtobatten down and heave to. New issues of this forecast are made available on this site at or before: 4:45am, 1pm, 4:45pm . "The majority of the incidents, probably 80 percent, would be simple break downs such electrical, mechanical and fuel related, 10 percent involve assisting the NZ Police with shore line searches and the remaining 10 percent involve incidents over the bar, many of which are also mainly electrical, mechanical etc. Or talk to Coastguard about your options. A fourth man, aged 23 remains in a moderate condition in Auckland Hospital. Police confirmed on Sunday the deceased were were aged 54, 61 and 70. An inquiry into how the boat came into trouble has been launched by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). Average boating conditions, possibly affected by light-fair winds, and a swell height around 1-2 metres. An inquiry into how the boat came into trouble has been launched by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). But crossing any harbour or river bar whether its at the Kaipara, Bowentown, Mana or Greymouth can be a dangerous experience. Behind the albacore are large yellowfin and striped marlin, sometimes in huge numbers. New Zealand's most tragic shipwreck occurred on the bar in 1863 when HMS Orpheus ran aground in clear weather with a loss of . Moderate southwest swell easing. Coastguard spokesperson Julia James said the vessel was crossing the bar to seek shelter in the Manukau Harbour when a wave threw the boat forward causing it to nose dive. Up the coast, empty cement boatsare waiting their turn. Always check the swell, tide and wind conditions every crossing of the Manukau Bar is different because of these factors. "Right now, authorities encourage self-reliance, skipper responsibility, and safety awareness through education campaigns for boaties. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has launched an inquiry into a boating tragedy which left three men dead in Auckland's Manukau Harbour yesterday. Ensure that you are carrying two forms of communication that work even when wet. "In the right conditions, crossing the Manukau Bar isn't a problem," he says. Practise some tight turns in calm water to make sure the steering is responsive. Make a Bar Crossing Report with Coastguard. The lines with numbers show the course ships needed to follow to safely cross the bar. Coastguard New Zealand- Manukau Bar Crossing 12,981 views Jan 14, 2012 23 Dislike Share Save CoastguardNZ1 117 subscribers Subscribe Coastguard Papakura crossing the Manukau Bar Show more. Barnes skippered oil tankers for 35 years and is now the Westport harbourmaster. Practise some tight turns in calm water to make sure the steering is responsive. As Orpheus rolled, her anchor snagged thelaunch and lifted it from the water,throwing its occupants overboard.None survived. Police said the three victims were men aged 54, 61 and 70. winds till crossing the Line, at midnight on the 3rd December. Peter's comments on lack of knowledge and preparation are borne out by comparison between the January fatality and a remarkably similar incident that occurred in the same spot a couple of weeks prior to the death. Besides, if its that rough, the harbourmaster will have closed the bar. Last month, four people were saved from a sinking boat in the Manukau Harbour. Gillespie said the boat involved did not make a bar crossing report with Coastguard, but they did receive in excess of 200 bar crossing reports from the Manukau Harbour yesterday alone. With two dredges, progress was much faster, and by June 1996 the bund had been completed. The breaching of the sand spit had itsorigins in the loss of its vegetative cover. For days she has been cowering from gales in Milford Sound, some 30 km to the south. You can choose your time to scoot over it once the whitewash has subsided. Theyve beenwaiting a week to cross the bar. Brenchley approaches the entrance on a tight angle. Information updated 23 Jan 2023. not being under powered, know about the washing machine inside the heads, reporting. On the day or days prior to planning a trip offshore , check the conditions, as you can usually tell how bad a bar will be by checking tides, swell size and direction and winds. Logging your trip with the Coastguard App is a quick and easy way to tell someone where youre going and when you plan to be back. They do not advise use of the northern channel, which has closed down to within a few metres in some places and, in wind-against-tide situations can be extremely ugly. The man said he felt "let down" by their response. "Make sure you are on the correct radio channel and most importantly of all wear a life jacket. He has little room to manoeuvre, and his ship is being buffeted by a heavy westerly swell. Tuesday: Northerly 20 knots, easing to 10 knots in the afternoon. And in recent years there have been increasing numbers of mahimahi too at this time of year - simply find any floating attraction like logs or weed mats and the dolphinfish will be beneath it. 17 Oct, 2021 07:34 PM 6 mins to read. Hewas a commercial fisherman for 30years, but quit because I got sickof taking the risks.. Rig up with at least 6/0 game hooks and a 60 to 120lb trace. Proceeding because you feel you need to get home is a recipe for disaster. 1.4 The crossing was uneventful for the first 20 minutes until the Spirit of Resolutionwas about to clear the Bar,when the wave height suddenly increased and the ship's speed over the ground dropped to almost zero. Issued: 10:58pm Sun, 30 Apr. But the maritime rules for recreational vessels should require skippers to know the rules, and understand them, and have the skills to comply. The bar is constantly changing. In 1863, the Manukau bar was the site of the countrys worst shipwreck, that of HMS Orpheus. Soundings are taken over the bararea from the pilot boat Bob Gower,and these are entered into a computeron the dredge. Ensure that you are carrying two forms of communication that work even when wet. Joined: 18 Nov 2005. The bar was very shallow and wed dredged a channelwhich faced the north-east, and rough seas were being stuffed downthis channel. Want to learn about trout fishing? Close all hatches and stow any loose equipment. The AT network was inundated with cancellations this morning on multiple routes. For years the guideline foropening the bar has been that whenthe water level reaches the doorstepof a certain house in town, then itstime. So much fish life it was insane! build the bund and helped it secure thenecessary council consents, say thatinvading sand from the spit would have The prevailing sou westerly wind turns this to mush. 2 drowned; 2 rescued after hours in the water.. "If you were going to pick a place where an accident was going to happen, it was going to be that day on that bar, and I felt they should have had a boat there all day," one man said, who the Herald has agreed not to name. We headed out from Whangaroa Marina in the far north of New Zealand on Nautilus Charters in search of some big snapper to test out the new reels and they performed flawlessly! The first crewman to emerge from the overturned Pacific Miner reaches the top of a Coos Bay jetty after . The key to crossing the Manukau bar, then as now, was to follow one of three deep channels that cut through the great curving sand banks reaching out from Manukau Heads. Isolation and the difficulty ofresupply from the sea sealed its fate.The Hollyford bar was too unpredictablefor captains to risk crossingfrom the Tasman Sea into the shelteredharbour of Lake McKerrrow. Manukau Coastguard have had their own dramas on the bar. Manukau Volunteer Coastguard Incorporated (Manukau Coastguard) Maximum persons on board: 11 12 Date and time: 4 March 2009, at about 05461 31 May 2009 at about 20152 Location: Taiharuru River entrance Manukau Bar Persons on board: crew: 5 7 Injuries: crew: 2 seriously injured 3 moderately injured one broken ankle, 6 other minor injuries During the 2001 winter the barwas blocked for about three weeks,and the lagoon flooded, he continues. It's going to be very busy. Accidents since include the swamping of the boat Tobamoray in March 2005, sunk by a five metre wave, the inquest finding the boat had insufficient reserve buoyancy and that what buoyancy compartment there was allowed water in. A sand bar may also form a shortdistance beyond an estuary. In September this year the coastal freighter Spirit of Resolution grounded on the harbour's shifting sandbanks. The gorgeused to be a 30 m-deep trenchthrough which the Waiho Riverdrained the Franz Josef Glacier. Even container ships aren't immune from the power of the waves over bars. Barnes uses the dredge Kawatirito keep the bar as safe as possible. Gold lured settlers to Okarito in1865, although the prospect of thevoyage from Hokitika cant havefilled travellers with confidence, forthe coast was littered with wrecks. The Coastguard Waiuku rescue boat then led the fishing vessel and the other Coastguard boat to a calmer part of the bar, where they all crossed safely back. In addition, each year the organisation runs bar crossing seminars and local familiarisation trips across bars to improve boaties' skills, confidence and understanding of . Such abar is known as an ebb-tidal delta,being the result of a combinationof river flow and receding tidal currentscarrying vast amounts of sedimentout to sea. Coastguard head of operations, Rob McCaw, says, Our three units based on the Manukau Harbour have an exceptional record of responding to, and saving, boaties who get into difficulty. The BullerRiver flows past me, fast, thick andbrown. . Only been over once, many years ago. Local boat owners were dismayed. Taranaki, and Manukau: The ship Maravel will be berthed at the wharf'this afternoon, and commence dlscha r ging on Monday. If something goes wrong, you wont have time to put a lifejacket on. A fourth man on the boat, 23, was airlifted to Auckland Hospital and is recovering in moderate condition. The Manukau Harbour has a fearsome reputation, many souls having departed this world in its waters. On the east coast of the North Island, 100 km north of Auckland, lies the pleasant beach resort of Mangawhai Heads: a few hundred homes with 1400 residents clustered around a fine sandy harbour. If the Southern Alps werent beingworn down at such a rate theywould be Himalayan in stature. He makes a decision. The Manawatu bar appears to be in a bad state, there being only 6 feet of water on it at high water. Unpredictable and treacherous, New Zealands harbour bars are the mariners dread. Now the men tumbledout of the shrouds like so manybirds eggs from a falling tree. Innovision Boats 2021 Featuring the IV707 Explorer, Fly Fishing for Big Browns in South Island New Zealand, Testing the Scott Centric #5 and #6 weight rods on big South Island Browns, Soft baiting from the rocks - tips and techniques, Motiti Protected Fishing Areas from 11 August 2021, Buccaneer Boats Factory and Woodbine Marine, How to set up the perfect nymph indicator, Soft baiting for monster trout in the South Island. Otago Daily Times Thursday, 27April 2000. Police, along with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Maritime NZ, Surf Life Saving NZ, Coastguard and St John Ambulance responded to the incident. Always try and cross the bar during daylight hours. One man died, two survived. Remember you MUSTclose your Bar Crossing Report once you're safely over the bar. But beforerescuers could reach the strickenvessel, the mizzen mast fell. "Coastguard deliver 'Raising the Bar' seminars as a way of educating boaties on the risks of crossing bars. Webcams around Manukau. Most recreational boating accidents happened suddenly, and people were in the water before they had time to use emergency equipment not already worn. The rise in water level killed allthe gorse, which wasnt a bad thing,and the tutu died as well. Othereffects were less beneficial, however:the inundation caused septic tanks tooverflow. Possibly the sound Captain Brenchley hears loudest as his ship breaks upabove the cries of women and children, the shouts of men and the rending of timbersis the moaning of the bar. The incident occurred on Te Irangi Drive in Clover Park, police said they were called to the scene after receiving reports of a disorder incident involving "a large number of people". Too late, Burnett realised his error. Nonetheless, they battledon and helped establish Jamestown.Their work was in vain. Of the 394 square kilometres, nearly one-third is exposed at low tide. Once over the bar safely close your bar crossing report. If in doubt, don't go out!Source: Coastguard. Only one man expressed concern: a quartermaster from HMS Harrier, who was being transported back to his ship and who had crossed the Manukau bar on a previous occasion. But by then a large portion ofthe village is flooded, and there is areal stench from overflowing septictanksnot to mention the health risk. All three crew died in that accident. Operating the dredge was hard work, yet community volunteersmany of them elderly retirees who, Wintle says, could hardly shift themselveskept it going 12 hours a day. A diver and kayaker have also lost their lives since alert level restrictions eased in Auckland, allowing residents to participate in water sports. The currents are pretty strong. ; Talk to a local about the bar conditions. If you don't close your report within 15-30min we'll launch our search and rescue procedures 4 . . "There are a few very important procedures a boatie needs to follow before crossing a bar and they are: check the weather, check the swell height. 78 McLaughlins Rd, Manukau City, Auckland, New Zealand DDI: PO 09 215Box 3278 76065, Mob: 021 902 370 Email: michael@transfleet.co.nz 78 McLaughlins Rd, Manukau City, PO Box 76065 . Location Manukau Bar, Auckland (-37.083333,174.451666) [may be approximate] I can picture the scene. "Getting the facts straight is vital, so we're keen to hear as soon as possible from people who saw the accident or observed the boat at any time in its journey," said Harald Hendel, Chief Investigator of Accidents. Heading out with Rob is a fantastic safe, and secure way of crossing the infamous Raglan Bar and getting into some awesome fishing action. Current Hazards. A fourth man on the boat, 23, was airlifted to Auckland Hospital and is recovering in moderate condition. Run a full check on engines and batteries, and replace old fuel with clean, fresh fuel before setting out. He followed a larger boat as it took the bodies back to shore and said emergency services performed CPR but they were pronounced dead. Residents felt something had to be done about the situation, but local government officials seemed unsympathetic to their plight. Hapuka, crayfish, and incredible scenery on this epic fishing journey. As a road now offers a morereliable route into the area than thesea does, coastal ships no longerhave to contend with crossing thebarand just as well, as the channelregularly silts up, sealing the lagoonfrom the sea. Part three of this series covers some of his best spots in and around Auckland. Crossing the Manukau bar Scott Warrender .Scott Warrender 33 subscribers Subscribe 7.4K views 2 years ago Entering the Manukau bar via the South channel on an out going tide with minimal. Originally the spit was forested, but with human settlementgoing back perhaps 800 yearsthe trees were burned, and later felled, and stock introduced to graze the rough sward that took their place. Coastguard has been . The boat flipped at approximately 8am but Coastguard were not notified until around 3.40pm, when someone on shore spotted the upturned hull. The wind had got up to 40 knots within an hour, smashing down from the north-east, completely against the sea. "It gives you a reminder that you do need to be pretty careful out there," said Keane. As a final indignation, the seatears your clothes off.. ; Everyone must wear a lifejacket. Photo / Hayden Woodward. Consideredfor many years the ecological goodguys of intertidal margins, the trees areproving invasive opportunists not justat Mangawhai, but in many North Islandestuaries and harbours, where heavysiltationthe legacy of forest clearanceto make way for pastoral landprovidesideal growing conditions. Youre in the wheelhouse, armsbraced across the walls. On January 9, 2010 four mates headed towards the bar intending to make the crossing. The south channel is known to move widely after the regular storms that lash the west coast. West Coast rivers dont comeany bigger than the mighty Greyand Buller, which have large sandbarsacross their mouths. All four were picked up without injury. It's like an instant thing, it's not like you'll be sinking for a good 10 to 15 minutes. The bar also claimeddozens of lives and millions of metresof timber intended for export. To make up time after delays in Sydney, the ships commodore, William Burnett, headed for the port of Onehunga rather than wasting extra days rounding the North Island to berth in Auckland. Our heartfelt sympathies are with the families of those lost.". On June 29, for the first time in 18 years, the tide flowed through only the historic northern entranceand it has done so ever since. Barnes has finished his latest soundingsand decided it is safe. Cornwallis, just inside Puponga Point on the northern side of the harbour, was designated by early city planners as Auckland's centre. Tip for crossing a bar * Go out within three hours before high tide. He said larger boats already moored at Huia came out to assist. Another commonly made mistake is on return, skippers throttling so as to sit in the trough between waves. By the mid-1900s, the plant cover on the spit had begun to break apart. Coastguard said the incident is just another example of how unpredictable the Manukau Bar is. It's understood other boaties found three people dead in the water and rescued the fourth. After a third unsuccessful re-opening, the locals took a different tack. Police confirmed the three men were aged 54, 61 and 70. Ebb-tidal deltas are never permanentfeaturesthey regularlyshift under the influence of changingwave and wind patterns. At the heart of the fertile land of Limagne and the pastures of the Massif Central, the Clermont-Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes Centre is one of the institute's historic sites, with cutting-edge research in key sectors of agriculture, environment and food: preventive human nutrition, cereals, product quality, territories, livestock farming, robotics applied to agriculture, tree functioning, etc. Make sure that everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket and is awake. For instance, if time is running out to fill the quota on a particular species, a fisherman may try to cross when conditions are marginal. The fourth man is in a moderate condition. Points: 12844. I may never experience thatthrill myself. "If you're going to pick a place where an accident was going to happen it was going to be that day on that bar. As soon as it was finished, residents planted it and the nearby dunes with thenative grass pingao to consolidate their hard-won gains. He urged boaties to remember to check the weather conditions, pack lifejackets and two forms of communication, and to put in a trip report or bar crossing . Crossing at high tide is best (but . Police confirmed the three men were aged 54, 61 and 70. You then close your Bar Crossing report when youre safely over; otherwise, a search alert will be initiated as soon as you fail to make contact within the allocated time frame. The Rarawa crossed inwards from Ivew Plymouth at 9 a.m. yesterday, and the Rimu went down to the heads to await the opportunity of crossing outward for Hokianga, but the sea on the bar will have to be much . Witnesses can email TAIC at info@taic.org.nz. "We're keen to find out more about the boat, its individual and type history, performance, maintenance, equipment and design.". To assist ships as they crossed the bar, a semaphore station had been installed on the northern headland. But Esther Ann is no longer his to command. Police, along with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Maritime NZ . For the Kaipara baryour boat needs to be minimum five metres in length with a 90 horse power outboard. If youre using a EPRIB its a good idea to have it out of its bracket and in a grab bag being held by a crew member. If you are heading in you could wait for conditions to improve by trying to cross at high tide when the tidal flow is at the lowest and theres more water over the bar. Dont cross it and instead stay in the harbour. Tell someone what your intentions are," Peter explained. This was purely because of the number of shipwrecks. Before going out on the water, all boaties, including jet skiers, should take the time to ensure their vessels are fully checked and prepped.