The swell kicks up on Marine Parade in Napier on New Year's Eve. Photo / Paul Taylor
The swell kicks up on Marine Parade in Napier on New Year's Eve. Photo / Paul Taylor
Beach swells causing worries, pool staffing shortages, a large coastal algal bloom and some rivers declared unsafe - trying to decide where to take a festive dip in Hawke’s Bay hasn’t been easy.
Waimārama Beach was on Saturday afternoon closed to swimmers by lifeguards, as a large south and easterlyswell approaching 2.5 metres made conditions treacherous.
Waimārama Surf Life Saving Club’s Michael Bassett-Foss said they hauled down the flags and got people out of the water when wave surges of 50 to 70 metres started coming in, and rips started pulling people into holes.
“Logistically, we just couldn’t keep swimmers safe.”
From Friday to Sunday, lifesavers had performed one rescue - with a tube and a swimmer - and assisted several others. There had also been a quick search for a missing child, and several instances of first aid being applied to beachgoers, one of whom required an ambulance, Bassett-Foss said.
Most people had been sensible in the conditions, he said, with lifeguards advising everyone on Sunday not to go deeper than their hips as the swells continued, though they were easing.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said there was no expectation of further large swells in the week ahead, with the pattern set to continue to ease on Monday.
Those choosing a pool instead of the beach may be affected by staff shortages in the region.
Aquatics Hastings has made the call to close its Clive War Memorial Pool until Monday, January 9.
Village Pool, Frimley Pool and Splash Planet remain open throughout the New Year’s holidays, while Flaxmere Pool will open again on Wednesday, January 4.
Splash Planet is seeking staff of its own - on December 15, it started a call for a range of roles, including lifeguards, slide guards, ride operators, park hosts and cleaners, front entry customer service staff, food and beverage assistants, baristas and kaitiaki.
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said there were shortages of staff across many organisations in Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand.
“With staff needing to take time off, and some being impacted with Covid and general sickness, this has compounded the shortages.
“We employ about 95 extra staff over the summer for our aquatics facilities, including Splash Planet, so this has not been easy in the current environment.”
Big queues to get in at Splash Planet in Hastings this week. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council water sampling meant that popular swim spots at the Tūtaekurī River, Esk River and Ngaruroro River were marked as unsuitable for swimming on December 19.
But nine days later, they were given the green light again after sampling results from December 28 came up good.
There remain cautions in place for those looking to swim near the Clive River boat ramp (now considered unsafe), the Wairoa River through the township (also unsafe), and Tukituki River at Black Bridge and Waipukurau (caution advised).
Almost every beach in the region is currently safe to swim - from a water quality point of view - but caution is advised at Mahanga Beach near Māhia, which is usually one of the most consistently safe places to swim.
Meanwhile, a persistent coastal algal bloom that was particularly prominent around Napier in the week after Christmas was sampled by scientists, with results indicating it was of low risk to swimmers.
The bloom, which had been seen from Westshore to Haumoana, produced some spectacular bioluminescence among waves on Thursday night.
The council said it was likely to shift around the bay as long as conditions remain favourable - though the drop in temperatures over New Year may well be the end of it.
Scientists continue to monitor the bloom, as the composition can naturally change over time.
