An indication of the ageing condition of the Nelson Quay Wharf, at the time a partial closure was put in place in October. Now, even the owners of moored boats can't use the wharf. Photo / Doug Laing
An indication of the ageing condition of the Nelson Quay Wharf, at the time a partial closure was put in place in October. Now, even the owners of moored boats can't use the wharf. Photo / Doug Laing
Owners of at least 17 boats in Napier’s Iron Pot have been left high and dry by the imposition of a safety zone prohibiting access to their moored vessels amid the closure of the Nelson Quay Wharf.
Not only have they been stopped from accessing the boats from the fenced-offwharf, but they also won’t be able to board from the water, with the Napier City Council saying water-side barriers are being installed.
It follows the council’s announcement of the wharf’s immediate closure because of safety issues with its structural integrity and its leaning wave wall, which is also out of bounds for children diving into the inner harbour.
The decision was conveyed in calls and emails to boat owners on Thursday and confirmed later in the day in a council media release.
The council also extended the fencing put in place four months ago, stopping general public access.
Boat owner Ross Allan, who moved his 10-metre boat from Tauranga to Napier about 18 months ago, said that while those measures had been taken, there had been little communication from the council and the decision was sudden.
He said some of the boats need regular attention because of their bilge pumps, and worry their vessels could submerge at their moorings while they can’t be accessed.
Kathy Malone, who has taken time off work to go fishing but was on Friday just “sitting at home”, said boat owners had been made to feel like “we have done something wrong”.
But she said they’d been paying berth fees for more than 20 years, but had never seen “anything done” to the wharf to maintain or improve the facility.
While worrying about the immediate issue of when they might be able to access their vessels, they also don’t expect repairs to the wharf in a hurry, and believe it will take years, if it will be restored at all.
The council has confirmed to Hawke’s Bay Today that owners are prohibited from “approaching their vessel from land and water”.
“Following engineering advice, we have established a safety exclusion zone to keep everyone safe,” a spokesperson said.
“In the coming days, we will install water-side barriers and additional fencing to clearly mark the exclusion zone.
“This is temporary until we can establish alternative options for all boats moored there,” they said. “We ask that boat owners respect the exclusion zone and recognise that council is putting their safety first.”
The council is also asking parents to warn their children about the risks, saying: “We are aware of some kids getting past the security fencing to get on to the wall. The signs make clear that this area is dangerous and should not be accessed. We ask parents to ensure their kids are not using this area to swim from.”
On Thursday evening, 17 apparently recreational vessels were at the moorings, fenced off with apparently no one aboard.
But children had found a way to use the pontoon to reach their popular diving spot off the entrance to the open launching ramp at the Hawke’s Bay Sports Fishing Club.
High and dry after city council safety concerns led to the closure of Nelson Quay wharf in Ahuriri, Napier, to all users, with 17 vessels still at their moorings, and their access fenced off. Photo / Doug Laing
The shutdown came just days after the launching ramp’s busiest weekend of the year, when about 130 boats put to sea in the club’s four-day Megafish tournament.
The wave wall side of the ramp is fenced off, but boats can still be launched.
The council said it was exploring all options for the wharf’s future.
Structural issues identified with the wharf in 2025 remained unchanged, it said, adding that updated health and safety advice meant the council was “taking all reasonable steps to ensure public safety”.
Mayor Richard McGrath, elected to the position when the local elections ended just days before the initial moves in October, said the council had a duty of care to all users and the wider community.
“We closed the wharf several months ago, when information about its structural integrity came to light,” he said.
The extended fencing closing Nelson Quay wharf at Ahuriri, Napier. Photo / Doug Laing
“We allowed restricted access to boat owners only. Now we are taking this a step further, with the updated advice we’ve received.”
An engineering report commissioned last year identified significant issues with the stability and structural safety of the wharf, and as a result the restrictions were put in place, McGrath said.
“Right now, our highest priority is public safety.
“This may be inconvenient for some, and we are working closely with users to make sure they understand the issues and the actions we are taking to keep everyone safe.”
Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter based in Napier with a journalism career dating back 53 years, more than 40 years of which has been covering local and regional events and issues.
