Moorings broken as waves batter coast
The weather that battered much of Northland yesterday was not up to tropical cyclone force but it still created waves of over four metres in the Bay of Islands.
While there were no reports of damage or danger to people, a few vessels broke their moorings in the strong south easterly and had to be secured.
There were reports of big surges washing over the Brampton Reef off the northern Waitangi coast early in the day but not the clean break that might normally attract surfers. By afternoon the sight of the Brampton break had gone the way of most visibility in the Bay - lost in haze, white caps and rain.
"It's rough and wild and no one in their right mind would be out today," said Tim Roffey, the president of Bay of Islands Coastguard.
Ferry and sightseeing operator Fullers operations manager Barry Nielson said the company ran limited services yesterday because of the conditions.
While the coast and the inner Bay of Islands copped the rough stuff coming in from the east, the only problem at sheltered Russell was the escape of a dinghy and two kayaks that were tied together. They had been secured without too much trouble, said Russell Radio's Mark Nixon who was pleased to add: "We are free from all kinds of distress. There have been no reports of anything, but there is certainly surf breaking in the Bay."
