Christmas carols at Pompallier House, Kororāreka-Russell, December 21.
An entirely volunteer group of marine enthusiasts man a VHF radio to monitor the weather and to give updates on rāhui and other banned maritime areas in the Bay of Islands. Most importantly, they monitor the activities of yachts and launches.
Last month in one week alone there were 225 calls from boats and they helped to co-ordinate two incidents. One was for missing kayakers and the other was for a broken-down vessel near Orokawa Peninsula and both had happy outcomes.
Station manager Stephen Crockatt says when things get “gnarly” for the more serious incidents, they liaise with Maritime New Zealand, New Zealand Police and the Search and Rescue organisations.
Russell Radio has served locals, visitors and offshore vessels since it was started by a small band of local fishermen shortly after World War II. It was headed by local legend Ritchie Blomfield.
There are around 16 volunteers who take turns to talk on the radio – VHF Channel 63. The VHF service covers from Tūtūkākā in the south to Knuckle Point at the northern end of Doubtless Bay and includes the Cavallis and the Poor Knights Islands.
Around 5% of radio calls are general inquiries ranging from where to get diesel to where to get a doctor. They own VHF Channel 3 which is used by a small number of commercial operators who pay a limited subscription and local fishing tournament operators.
They are based in a small attic studio above the Russell Information Centre on the Russell wharf with one of the best views of the bay in town. They warn people to tiptoe up the stairs in case they’re on a call or doing a regular weather schedule.
Last month, they held a fundraising evening called A Pint for a Purpose and raised $985 towards operating costs. If any retired boaties or emergency staff are looking for a volunteer stint for five hours a week, please contact russellradio.org.nz.
Two sites administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga are generating Christmas cheer this year in two separate ways.
In Kororāreka-Russell, a Christmas tradition is back again for this year.
Pompallier Mission will host the Christmas Carols @ Pompallier and entry is free although a hat will be passed around for a gold coin donation to raise money for Hospice North.
Local players will perform festive favourites including carols, songs and readings concluding with a prizegiving for the best dressed elf or angel. A wet weather venue is Christ Church, Russell.
Staff at Te Waimate Mission will deck the halls, walls and more during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The historic mission building will be so adorned and there are offerings of games and crafts for visiting children.
As well as dressing up the grand old house, there will be other activities including making a vintage decoration for the tree, creating Christmas cards, going on one or all of the three treasure hunts and posting a letter to Father Christmas in a special mailbox.
Visitors to Te Waimate at Christmas will be in good company. Evolutionist Charles Darwin washed up at Te Waimate Mission on Christmas Eve in 1835. He had arrived in the Bay of Islands a few days earlier.
“Darwin wasn’t that complimentary about the rest of the Bay of Islands, but he was clearly delighted by what he found at Te Waimate Mission,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Hokianga properties lead Lindis Capper-Starr.
Pompallier Mission will host the Christmas Carols @ Pompallier concert at 6pm on Saturday, December 21, gates open at 5.30pm.
Te Waimate’s Christmas:
Dates: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays from December 13 to December 29. Time: 10am to 5pm. Cost: Children under 18 free with a paying adult – $1. Garden access for picnics: Free.
On December 19, six artists from Russell will be showcasing their work at Haratu, the local marae.
The show is the brainchild of Sue Fitzmaurice who selected the artists and put them together with the marae committee for approval.
“The idea was to show that art in the town can be exciting and it’s a gallery showing rather than an exhibition,” she said.
She is a busy woman. She is editor of the local newspaper, Russell Lights. She runs Rebel Magic Books as publisher and editor and conducts writing classes online in among various other local projects she has become involved with.
She knew the work of the six local artists and approached them to show some of what they do. All agreed.
Lana Kingsbeer uses various methods to develop her artwork including mixed medium pieces. She currently has 19 pieces for sale ranging from $280 to $7800.
Dorina Dinali works in watercolour and her artwork has an almost ethereal quality. She says she looks at the birds’ eyes and sees souls and she looks at the plants and sees the personalities.
Jacqui Madelin is a former motoring journalist. She uses acrylic which she paints on to flotsam she has found floating in the bay.
Val Marshall Smith and Terri Cottier are showing their flax baskets, kete and potai which they have formed through a group called Wicked Weavers.
Gary Wilson is showing his kauri carved pieces and so are Paddy and Karin who work from a large shed in Ōpua called the Kauri Vault. They make ancient kauri furniture.
The showing opens on December 19 and will run until early February at which time a decision will be made whether to extend the display.
It’s a busy time for Russell on that day. As well as the Haratu marae showing there is late-night Christmas shopping in Russell (which Fitzmaurice also organised) and the Cass Street Gallery is having a change of artist.
Two major rāhui are in place in the Bay of Islands and there’s one pending awaiting approval in the Hokianga.
A rāhui in Te Rāwhiti is designed to control the spread of caulerpa weed and has been in place since May 2023. It means it’s illegal to fish or anchor a vessel in a defined area of the Te Rāwhiti Inlet.
The area under control is bounded by Whau Point, the south-eastern tip of Te Ao Island, the eastern shoreline of Poroporo Island and the northern tip of Tokatokahau Point up to the high-tide area.
Any form of fishing is banned and includes spearfishing, crayfishing, kina and other shellfish gathering, net fishing and drift fishing from any kind of vessel. It is also illegal to take vessels or dive gear into the controlled area for fishing.
No anchoring is allowed other than for a very few permitted activities such as for scientific research or where residents are reliant on a vessel for regular transport.
Anyone carrying out those activities will need to get a permit from MPI. Anchoring in an emergency (for example, to shelter from weather) is allowed without a permit.
Rules are now in place for marine protection areas at Mimiwhangata. A rāhui tapu area is in operation for Maunganui Bay to Opourua (Oke Bay) and at Mimiwhangata.
It means bulk harvesting of fish using specific seining and trawling methods is prohibited to a depth of 100 metres. The rules do not affect a kina harvest of a daily bag limit or non-commercial Māori customary fishing, but a permit is required.
In Hokianga, the Ngāti Korokoro Trust called a hui because, they say, the community is “sick and tired of poachers of pāua”. They want a rāhui placed on the harbour from Ōpononi to just past Kawerua.
There were also concerns voiced about congestion on the highway in Ōpononi with cars and trailers taking up the free area. This rāhui is awaiting ratification.
Initial construction work on the next section is set to begin by the end of next year.