Black outlook for beach?

SURFERS CONCERNED: Mahia local and champion surfer Ricardo Christie grew up surfing world class waves at Blacks Beach, but local surfers are concerned about the demise of the wave from its glory days. Wairoa Star picture

SURFERS are concerned the era of legendary surfing at Mahia’s Black’s Beach has peaked. They are worried about the drop-off of visiting surfers and the impact on tourism revenue.

Nuhaka School principal and surfer Nick Chapman said visiting surfers were a regular part of the Wairoa district economy and they generated revenue, but the number of surfing visitors and their friends is decreasing.

Mr Chapman said the work on the eroding road into Mahia was “absolutely necessary for access, but in the past there had been an unfortunate impact on the topography of the beach”.

The Mahia Boardriders Club is planning to investigate the effect the silt from roadside erosion is having on the quality of a once world-class surf break at Black’s Beach.

“We believe the problem is the silt run-off of the slips from the land above the road. Huge slopes have been created over the years and backed up into the sea.”

He said local surfers would like to see a study done, followed by debate and local action, to see the old Black’s Beach break like it used to be.

“The evidence is in the number of cars you don’t see in the car park any more. It would be fantastic to imagine the Wairoa District Council, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and marine and surfer groups getting a study done that would shed light on why the reef has changed from the famous peeling right-hander it was renowned for.”

Mr Chapman said it looked like the silt had run into the water and settled around the rocks and reef in the main channel of the surf break, which had been caused by weather and erosion.

“This run-off has affected the surf break in front of the main car park, and despite a few good days of surf over the past eight years, the quality of the surfing wave has been spoilt.”

Mr Chapman wants to know why the silt in the channel is not moving.

“Is it silt from erosion that then finds its way into the ocean? It has been a long process of spoiling the surf break. What action can be taken to bring the surf break back to its glory days?”

The channel is used as a rip to carry surfers out to the reef break, which has been a world-class wave for visiting surfers and numerous surfing events over the years.

“As a surf club we’re concerned. Surfers have dropped off due to the spoiling of the break. We must be losing tourism. If the council is concerned about the region as a destination, it’s got to be about economy.

“We’d like to turn around the demise of Black’s and see it brought back to its former glory.”

Mr Chapman would like to work with the council to find a solution.

“We have no moans and groans with council rebuilding the road — access is essential. Eight years ago the slips on this piece of road saw silting get into the sea. Present roadworks design is to avert any of this happening. I do wonder if the council sees it as a loss of an economic gold mine. We need to bring people back.”

Mr Chapman is curious as to why the ocean has not naturally sluiced the silt out in big swells and heavy sea storms.

“The ocean seems to run over it. It needs a dive team to check it out.”

Mr Chapman hoped all parties could work together to problem solve as a united group.