It’s not “panic, panic” yet, but Ngāwī crayfishers are keeping their fingers crossed a failed bridge reopens soon on Wairarapa’s south coast.
While the bridge at the Turanganui River on Lake Ferry Rd reopened on Wednesday, the bridge over Hurupi Streamon Cape Palliser Rd remains shut.
The bridge, known as the Banana Bridge, has been deemed structurally unsafe after severe flooding this week.
The road is the only route in and out for the more than 100 people trapped on the south coast, prompting food and medicine to be delivered by helicopter on Wednesday evening.
An update on the status of the bridge was expected on Thursday, after an urgent notice from the South Wairarapa District Council and subsequent assessment by a civil engineer.
“The bridge, often referred to as the Banana bridge, could pose a serious safety risk,” a council spokesperson said.
“The bridge must not be used under any circumstances until it has been inspected and formally cleared by a qualified engineer.”
Ngāwī fisherman Andrew Sim told RNZ in his 40 years on the coast the Banana Bridge had never gone down and crayfishers and their stock were currently stuck.
“I think there’s nine of us here, six of us are finished [the season’s fishing], three still going to mop up the little bit they’ve got left,” Sim said.
“They’re probably a little bit left in the lurch to get their product out.”
Crayfishers off the coast of Ngāwī, where a nearby bridge closure has left them stuck in the settlement. Photo / Supplied / Andrew Sim, RNZ
He said the live lobsters were usually transported by truck out of the fishing settlement.
“I’ve got a big boat if worst comes to worst, I can transport it to Wellington.
“It’s not panic, panic at this stage, but it’d be nice to know where it’s heading.”
Crayfisher Lance Maindonald was also eagerly awaiting an update on the bridge.
Maindonald, who has been unable to get into Ngāwī because of the bridge closures, said he was hoping to board a boat from Wellington to take him there.
Sim said his stepson was among those who needed to collect the last of his catch but was also trapped on the wrong side of the bridge.
RNZ has contacted the council for an update. Sim said he was almost out of medication when the helicopter arrived on Wednesday with supplies.
“The chopper’s come in... and my goodness, what a haul of food that got delivered out to here.
“That went beyond all expectations, that was fantastic. Everything from fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, toilet paper, dog rolls, cat food. Basically, everything you needed to keep you alive for several days, that’s for sure.
“It was unbelievable.”
Sim didn’t expect there would be traffic “willy-nilly” on the road any time soon, but hoped it would at least reopen to residents and those who needed to get in and out.
However, he said there were “certainly a lot worse places” to be stuck.
