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Update from Guy Harris - Manager Coastal — Harbourmaster
SailGP was one of the first events anywhere in the country to be declared a Major Maritime Event. During the event, Environment Canterbury’s Harbourmaster’s Office – Coastal Team provided information to boaties out on the water and at the boat ramps to ensure rules were being followed and to support the race marshals.
Our Lyttelton office became a hive of activity, complete with daily briefings, inter-agency meetings, and the constant chirping of UHF radios. Our team worked alongside multiple organisations in the planning of the event, with preliminary conversations beginning back in November 2020.
On race days, a hybrid team involving Environment Canterbury, Maritime New Zealand, Otago Regional Council and the Royal NZ Navy was out on the water supporting SailGP, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, the Department of Conservation, the NZ Police, and the Coastguard. It was a great example of inter-agency whanaungatanga and efficiency. What was especially impressive was how the team adapted their plans when situations changed.
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 SailGP control room
The New Zealand team |
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Update from Gordon McKay -
Deputy Harbourmaster (Operations)
It has been another bumper season for recreational boating across the region — the busiest we have seen so far. It has been great to see boaties behaving in a responsible manner. Our field officers are consistently reporting how well things are going, especially around lifejacket wearing. We have noticed a significant increase in the use of paddleboards and kayaks. These craft are relatively inexpensive and allow more people to enjoy our waterways. Remember: if buying secondhand, ensure the craft is safe to use and that you have the relevant safety equipment. If in doubt, don’t go out! Get it checked.
Our officers have been working non-stop reminding people to
- wear a lifejacket,
- check the weather forecast before going out, and
- carry two forms of waterproof communication.
They have been giving away some awesome safety gear such as drybags, waterproof cellphone covers, and water-activated torches.
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I have been working behind the scenes on the National Safer Boating Forum Leadership Group. We formed the group in December 2022 to develop and implement a new Recreational Craft Strategy through to 2025. This is now at consultation stage, with a view to roll it out to the public soon. I’ll keep you posted.
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Update from John Kent - Navigation Safety Officer
Aids to Navigation - Land Based Asset Survey
If you have spent any time on the waterways in Canterbury, chances are you’ve seen more than a few Aids to Navigation (AtoNs). These include buoys, signs, and marker posts placed throughout the region, from the harbours to the high-country lakes. Their purpose: to ensure the safety of water users throughout the year. Keeping them in good condition, relevant, and visible is of high importance.
Currently, I am surveying all land-based assets in Canterbury, building a picture of all maintenance required over the winter months and identifying areas which could benefit from improvement. For example, a black and white reserve post on the foreshore of a lake is only useful if it can be seen from all angles and if people know what it is trying to communicate. That post could be marking an area that is reserved for swimmers and paddlecraft, therefore telling you that is a great spot for the kids to take a dip. Conversely, it might be signifying that this bit of shoreline is a speed uplifted area for water-skiers so boats may be travelling closer to shore at a higher speed. It is important to know the difference before getting in or on the water.
Where can you find out what these markers mean? Often there will be signs and maps posted next to boat ramps. These signs include information about the body of water you’re about to enter that will help keep you and everyone else safe. There are often special rules that differ from the standard Navigation Safety rules, especially on lakes. You should be aware of these rules before casting off.
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Update from Raelyn Eades - Maritime Authorisation Officer
Swing moorings seem to be in high demand at the moment. If you want to lease out your mooring, just drop me an email at moorings@ecan.govt.nz and we can advertise it on our website for you. Once you have leased out your mooring, the person leasing your mooring needs to complete the Swing Mooring Authorisation HAR004 form so that the correct contact details are on your file. Please let us know if a lease has ended so that we can remove those details off your file.
Leaving a mooring vacant for more than 180 days
I have noticed a number of moorings that are only being used for a short period and many being vacant for more than the 180 days. As per the Navigation Safety Bylaw, you need to seek approval from the Harbourmaster to be able to leave the mooring vacant.
Selling your mooring equipment
Please remember you are selling the mooring equipment not the location. There are occasions when the Harbourmaster may request that a mooring to be relocated. If you are not sure, please give us a call on 0800 324 636.
Did you know that you can self-check a mooring that is advertised for sale by going to the Canterbury Maps Viewer, entering the mooring number, and downloading the summary report. That will show you the report from the last inspection.
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Update from Tina Jackson - Deputy Harbourmaster (Systems and Services)
It has been a whirlwind six months since joining the HMO-CT. It has been great fun learning all the different areas we are involved with and getting to know the team.
During the season, one part of my role is to ensure cruise ships visiting Kaikōura and Akaroa follow the Navigation Safety Operating Requirements for the areas of restricted access. This involves early-morning communications with the ship’s bridge team to confirm weather conditions, anchorages and berthing arrangements for the tenders needed for passenger transfers. Depending on the conditions, we sometimes need to delay the arrival of a ship due to high winds or visibility.
If it is the ship's first visit to the area, we board the vessel to conduct a bridge audit, looking for correct charts, publications, passage planning, and procedures on board.
It has been a fantastic opportunity for me to get out of the office and meet some of the community. I am looking forward to getting further afield to learn more about the region over the next few months.
A fog bank over Gooch Bay required a cruise ship to delay entry to the area for two hours.
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Update from Emma Parr - Coastal Response and Readiness Lead
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To test the region's response capabilities in the event of a marine oil spill, Environment Canterbury’s Regional Coastal Response Team train three times a year. Two of those training exercises are large, field deployment style exercises that are audited by Maritime NZ. This last quarter we ran an exercise in Timaru Port to test responders and equipment deployment, using a scenario of fuel spilling over land and into the water. The response team’s focus was to contain and recover the spilt oil, following the process and using the Coordinated Incident Management Systems (CIMS) response framework. This exercise highlighted the region's readiness to respond to similar incidents and demonstrated the commitment and strength of those responders involved.
Additionally, we saw a record six vessels in 10 days wreck or sink across the region. We were able to engage with owners and salvors quickly to ensure environmental impacts were minimised.
Tē tōia, tē haumatia - Nothing can be achieved without a plan, workforce and a way of doing things.
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Everyone very engaged in one of the site briefings
One of the vessels that ran aground recently
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Update from Emily McLaughlin - Coastal and Land Management Advisor
Some of you eagle-eyed readers may have noticed my absence from the November newsletter. I took some time off to get my head around a new role — one that’s a lifetime commitment, with terrible hours and no pay but incredibly rewarding and the subject matter is rather cute… the role of a parent. But I’m diving back into work and have been busy creating a Canterbury Environmental Good Management Practice Guidelines for Boating. This guide is a good overview of everything you need to think about with boat ownership and keeping Canterbury waters clean. Keep an eye out for this guide in the future and start thinking about ways you help keep our waters clean.
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Update from Josh McDonald-Davis - Maritime Environment Officer
Since the previous update, we have been extremely busy with marine biosecurity work going on in the background. In our recent marine biosecurity surveillance dives in Timaru, Akaroa, Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō (excluding the Lyttelton Port area, which is covered by the national surveillance programme) and Kaikōura. Based on information collected during our dive surveys, a few individual Mediterranean fanworm were detected in the Cass and Corsair Bays. This is significant, as past surveys did not detect Mediterranean fanworm outside the Inner Harbour.
Fanworm image by Chris Woods, NIWA
You can help protect Canterbury's beautiful waterways and marine ecosystems by being a good boatie and keeping a clean hull.
Limiting the fouling on your hull stops pests from catching a ride with you into uncontaminated areas or transferring from your vessel to others when moored or berthed in a marina. Keeping your vessel in good shape will also improve its fuel economy and speed.
When cleaning your hull, do it right. Taking shortcuts can make the problem much worse.
Level of fouling acceptable in the Canterbury Region
Environment Canterbury encourages vessel owners to limit fouling to no more than “light fouling” – LOF 2 on this scale. LOF 0 - 1 is described as micro-fouling; LOF 2 - 5 is described as macro-fouling.
1. Micro-fouling: Slime layer fouling only. Nil macro-fouling cover.
2. Light fouling: Hull covered in biofilm and 1-2 very small patches of macro-fouling. 1 - 5% macro-fouling cover.
3. Considerable fouling: Presence of biofilm, and macro-fouling still patchy but clearly visible. 6 - 15% macro-fouling cover.
4. Extensive fouling: Presence of biofilm, and abundant fouling assemblages consisting of more than one species. 16 - 40% macrofouling cover.
5. Very heavy fouling: Diverse assemblages covering most of visible hull surfaces. 41 - 100% macro-fouling cover.
Call it in
If you think you’ve seen the marine pests outlined in the links below (or any others) in the Canterbury Region, call us on 03-365-3828 or MPI on 0800 80 99 66. Note the location and grab a sample if you can.
Resources
Check out the following resources to learn more about marine biosecurity in New Zealand,
If you happen to observe any environmental incidents in the coastal marine area please call Environment Canterbury Pollution Hotline 0800 765 588 (24 hours) to report it, or use the
Snap Send Solve app to report issues from your mobile phone.
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Update from Ian Fox - Regional Harbourmaster
Changes to the Navigation Safety Bylaw
We have proposed some minor changes to the Navigation Safety Bylaw. You can read all about the proposed amendments and give your feedback at our Have Your Say page. Feedback will close at 11.59PM on Sunday 21 May.
Remember the "rules of the road"
In our previous update we highlighted the “rules of the road” that clearly set out who gives way to who out on the water. A commonly known phrase, “steam gives way to sail”, means that as a general rule, power-driven vessels must give way to vessels under sail. However, there are some exceptions to this – particularly within harbours.
One exception is vessels that can only navigate within a narrow channel, such as the entry channel of Lyttelton port, have right of way over vessels that can safely operate outside the channel. That big container ship heading in or out of the channel really does have right of way over your yacht!
The diagram above indicates the line of visibility and the blind area experienced from large ships. We have recently placed signage at marina entry gates and ramp entrances which explain the requirements under Maritime Rules Part 91.16, and Bylaw clauses 3 and 37, and distances to keep clear of large vessels and their attending tugs and Pilot launch.
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Whether you’re racing or out for a cruise, remember you must keep clear of large vessels, the Pilot launch, and tugs in the channel and anywhere else they’re manoeuvering, including the Inner Harbour. If you collide with one of these vessels or approach too close to, for example, the wash from a tug, your chance of having a very bad day simply isn’t worth the few minutes you might think you’ll save by cutting that gap.
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Mind the cables!
Please be aware and mindful of the various cables and pipework that criss-cross Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō. Always consult an up-to-date chart and the Navigation Safety Bylaw before dropping your anchor.
If in doubt, speak with the infrastructure owners.
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Pipes and cables in Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō are marked by pink and purple lines on the map above.
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