The Gables Restaurant in Russell lost part of its roof in strong winds over the weekend.
The Gables Restaurant in Russell lost part of its roof in strong winds over the weekend.
Northlanders sick of the recent dump of rain are advised to brace for more downpours from Wednesday this week as an unsettled northerly flow with several fronts moves across New Zealand.
MetService is forecasting the fronts will bring rain to northern and western parts of the country, with a period of northerly gales also likely in exposed places.
“For Northland, there is moderate confidence of warnable amounts of rain from Wednesday to Friday, reducing to low on Saturday,” a MetService press release said.
Heavy winds on Sunday afternoon ripped part of the roof off the Gables Restaurant in Russell. The Gables is New Zealand’s oldest operating restaurant, built from pit-sawn kauri in 1847.
Restaurant operator Nick Loosley said winds lifted the corrugated iron, some of which ended up in the sea with the rest held in place by a chimney.
Roofers put up tarpaulins to keep the rain out and were scheduled to return later on Sunday to assess the damage and plan long-term repairs.
Loosley said the damaged roof was above part of the restaurant and he wasn’t sure yesterday whether he’d be able to open for business.
The refloated catamaran Off 2 C under tow to Bay of Islands boatyard in Ōpua after Sunday’s beaching. Photo / supplied
Elsewhere, a 15-metre catamaran beached in Paihia during Sunday’s wild weather was refloated and towed to the Bay of Islands Boatyard in Ōpua this afternoon for repairs.
Northland harbourmaster Jim Lyle said that was just one of three boats that came to grief during the storm.
The others were yachts that sank at One Tree Pt and at Mangōnui.
There was another close call on Monday when a yacht in Whangārei Harbour was pumped out just as it was about to go under. In Waikare Inlet, near Ōpua, an 18m yacht dragged anchor on Sunday but it was not thought to have struck any other vessels. One hull of the beached catamaran, Off 2 C, had been damaged and filled with water. The salvage was being carried out by a local contractor.
Most of the problems on Sunday arose from vessels anchored in exposed areas.
It was unknown why the two yachts had sunk, but hatches left open or blocked cockpit drains — allowing the cockpit to fill with water in heavy rain, then spill over into the rest of the vessel — were common causes.
A recent spate of incidents involving catamarans moored off Paihia would be looked into.
It was known as an exposed area and mooring owners were warned of the risk, Lyle said.
During Cyclone Gabrielle, another multihull was smashed to kindling on rocks in exactly the same spot.
Paihia volunteer firefighters try to save a 15-metre catamaran blown onto rocks during Sunday’s wild weather. Photo / Peter de Graaf
