Jet-skiers a 'bane': Fears of serious water incident in Hawke's Bay rise

Jet-skiers zig zagging along the shoreline are causing headaches for Hawke's Bay water safety officials. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay Regional harbourmaster Captain Martin Moore. Photo / File
"Disturbing" behaviour from jet ski riders in Hawke's Bay has water safety officials fearing a serious incident.

Coastguard Hawke's Bay skipper Henry van Tuel said they'd had multiple reports in the past few days of jet-skiers "zig-zagging" within 200m of shore.

"A person is a really small target in the water and if people are not looking out for swimmers, it is really easy to run them over."

Van Tuel said the impact of a jet ski on a swimmer could be similar to a pedestrian being hit by a motorbike or even a car, and could result in serious injury.

Hawke's Bay Regional harbourmaster Captain Martin Moore said watercraft users often didn't realise there was a five-knot speed rule when travelling within 50m of another vehicle, 200m of one showing a dive flag and 200m of the shore, unless it is otherwise lifted.

"For every harbourmaster in New Zealand, the bane of their lives are the people who abuse the jet ski rules. They attract more nuisance calls than any other form of transport."

Moore said it wasn't isolated to one spot in the region, but he had been to Clive River almost on a nightly basis lately.

Although he could issue a fine of about $200-$300 depending on the situation, Moore prefers to take a more educational approach.

"I could make a fortune issuing fines if I wanted to. I'm trying to explain the situation to people and most people, once it's explained to them are pretty reasonable."

Moore said the other big concern in recent times had been divers not putting up their "dive flag" to alert other boats of their presence in the water.

Both Moore and van Tuel said they suspected it was people poaching crayfish from other people's crayfish pots, but did not know for sure.

"That's only supposition, but most of the people we see around the place when we are out doing the 'no excuses campaign', if they have got men in the water, they are showing their dive flag," Moore said.