Sea hare no slug
The marine creature spotted on Russell's Long Beach last week was not a lethal sea slug as first suspected but a harmless sea hare. The sighting, and initial wrong identification, sparked a warning to dog owners to keep their pets on a leash, fit them with muzzles or keep them off the beach altogether. Even nosing a sea slug can kill a dog but sea hares, which are named for the ear-like scent receptors protruding from their heads, are harmless.
Volleyball at Ruakākā
New Zealand's largest beach volleyball festival hits Ruakākā today with a series of competitions in play during the week. From today until Thursday, a total of 64 under-19 and under-17 teams will compete for age-group glory before the national university championships, the masters championships and a social competition is held on Friday. The festival finishes with almost 60 teams competing in the national beach volleyball championships on Saturday and Sunday, featuring a raft of Beach Ferns and Beach Blacks players. Former Silver Fern Anna Harrison will be in attendance, as will former Black Fern Kim Smith, the current indoor NZ VolleyFerns captain. Play goes from 9am-6pm each day. People looking to play in Friday's social tournament should turn up to the beach before 9am to register.
Chopper has busy run
It has been a busy start to 2021, with the Northland Rescue Helicopter responding to more than 77 callouts so far. This follows on from 1115 callouts in 2020, the rescue choppers' busiest year on record. The 2020 rescue chopper annual appeal raised more than $200,000, with donations still coming in. The team has done some amazing work in the last couple of months, from rescuing school children trapped in a cave to helping save a 2-week-old baby's life.
Grace in for injured King
On the advice of his doctor, following a serious injury, it has been necessary to replace Andre King as the fourth member of The Howard Morrison Quartet Take Two on its rescheduled national tour next month, which includes a show in Whangārei.
Now joining Howard Morrison jnr, Russell Harrison and Chris Powley on the tour is Jack Grace who has been rehearsing with the group for the past two months while awaiting news on King's recovery to ensure there would be no negative impact on the show should a last-minute substitution become necessary. The tour was to have taken place last year, but was cancelled due to Covid. The quartet plays at Forum North, Whangārei, on February 28, with tickets from www.ticketek.co.nz.
