Jane Hindle, at the helm of the R Tucker Thompson. She is retiring after 25 years of service and fun.
From dream wedding on board to shaping the future
After 25 years, Jane Hindle has retired as trustee of the R Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, the entity that oversees the day-to-day running of the gaff-rigged schooner based at Ōpua wharf.
Her time with the ship started with a wedding. She had seen the ship taking part in the Tall Ships Race and thought it would be a perfect location for a dream wedding to her (then) fiance. Little did they know it was the start of a lifetime commitment.
She got her wedding on board and went on to become a business mentor to Russell Harris, the owner of the R. Tucker Thompson. This in turn led to a more permanent role that would last 22 years and see her become a kaitiaki and an integral part of the ship's voyages.
One of her biggest achievements was setting up the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, a business model that still exists. Despite the 2007 Global Financial Crisis when the Trust struggled to get the financial support it needed, by 2012 the Trust was operating 16 youth voyages a year, largely due to Hindle's passion which was fundamental to its current success.
Her best memories? Hindle says the Tucker has offered her the opportunity to experience something she could never have dreamed of.
"The best part has been seeing the youth who completely turn their lives around after spending just a week on board," she said.
It was particularly important to her that the Tucker took part in Tuia 250, the event held in 2019 which celebrated the Pacific voyaging heritage and commemorated the first encounters with Europeans.
She is not sure what she will do next, after 25 years of hard work and fun with the Trust, but says we are all in charge of our own destiny. She will no doubt find something, or that something will find her.
A kārakia at dawn last Saturday saw the unveiling of the new waharoa (gateway) that guards the entry to Russell's wharf.
Present were the invited guests; VIPs, dignitaries, kuia, kaumatua, the Haratu Mārae Komiti, members of the Kororāreka Community Wharf Kaitiaki Trust and the glitterati of Russell and all their partners.
That took care of the 100 allowable under Covid rules. Anyone else who wanted to attend had to stand on the beach or go out on a boat to observe proceedings.
The waharoa unveiling was followed by the reveal of the taki, or wero, the outer guard which is sited on a pile just off the end of the wharf on the water. The wero holds a patu but because he is facing out to sea he is likely only to use it on errant boaties.
Both were made by Tony Makiha from Mystix Studio at Puketona, who had presented a concept to the Trust who in turn presented it to the Russell community via a postal vote.
The custodianship of the wharf had previously been transferred from Far North District Council to Far North Holdings Limited and the Kororāreka Community Wharf Kaitiaki Trust was formed in partnership with FNHL. Makiha's concept was one of the first projects to be adopted by the community, who endorsed it without opposition. This is unusual for Russell.
The Trust then set about fundraising. Final costs have not yet been accounted for and the reported original estimate of $100,000 from over two years ago was exceeded. Funding to date came from many sources, according to Barry Heath, chairman of the Trust.
"Far North Holdings Limited played a big part in providing certain funding and in providing services including consents and engineering input.
"The Trust, with the help of local businesses, raised $25,000 on a big-prize raffle, a Pelorus Trust application for funding was successful and a further $25,700 funding from the local mārae topped up the shortfall."
There were delays along the way, not the least of which was gaining charitable trust status and opening a bank account which took almost a year. Covid played a big part in delaying the intended start by around a year.
The footings at the beginning of the wharf which hold the waharoa were dug by Barry Heath and trust committee member Erle Williams. They called in local volunteers to help including Ross Blackman, a former chairman of Far North Holdings Limited.
Local "tradies" helped out and gave discounts for their part in the project.
After the ceremonial unveiling the dignitaries were hosted at Hāratu Mārae for a breakfast, with Covid protocols being operative.
Time is running out to apply for eight $3000 scholarships on offer from Northland Regional Council.
Tū I te ora Scholarship opened in December last year and will run until March 2. As of last week the council had received eight completed applications with another dozen partially completed or in train.
The annual scholarships recognise, encourage and support students to undertake study, research or training that relates to council's environmental and regulatory functions.
Four of the eight scholarships on offer are earmarked for Māori who whakapapa to Te Taitokerau. Of the remaining four scholarships, one has been set aside for a student undertaking study, research or training related to council's land or water functions.
Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who live in Northland, or have family that does. Full eligibility criteria and applications forms are available from scholarships.nrc.govt.nz.
Once the application period closes in early March 2022 a selection panel from council's Community Engagement Environmental Services and Māori Engagement teams will review.
For more info go to www.scholarships.nrc.govt.nz
Upgrades to Russell Refuse Transfer Station will improve the ability of Far North District Council to recycle and re-use waste and to convert the facility into a modern resource recovery park.
A large canvas structure now being built is funded by Northland Waste. It will become a new waste receiving and sorting area. This will enable more recyclable and re-useable goods to be separated and the goal is to eventually redirect re-useable goods to a re-use shop planned for the site.
Meanwhile, a joint Northland Waste and Council application to the Glass Packaging Forum has secured a $35,000 grant to upgrade glass storage bunkers. The new bunkers will increase glass storage and improve health and safety. They will also reduce cross-contamination of glass types and the volume of glass that must then go to landfill.
Space freed up by the new bunkers will improve traffic congestion at the station, something that can be a problem during the busy holiday season.
The Bay of Islands Yacht Club at Waitangi held an Open Skiff Holiday programme last week with 10 potential sailors who didn't let the rain stop them from having fun.
The programme was organised and run by two youth coaches, Ella Parker and Jacob Fewtrell, who were supported by an adult Robyn Parker.
They did destination sailing to Russell and worked the downwind technique and surfed some big swells to get back home again. They went for a trip to Haruru Falls, where they explored a hidden cave and tested out homemade rope swings along the riverbank.
They went on a treasure hunt to a local beach and visited the Paihia pontoon. They then faced the Bridge of Doom, an inflatable archway owned by the Open Skiff Class, which is slightly below the height of a skiff mast. They also played sailing soccer using the bridge as one of the goals.
The three-day programme finished when the contestants competed in an adventure starting at the Yacht Club ramp where they zig-zagged through the ski lane buoys before heading back to the bridge to finish.
Mark Williams wore a balaclava and entered the man's home in December 2023.