Sticky time for boaties

The owners of a visiting launch had a nasty - and possibly expensive - surprise at Kerikeri's Stone Store Basin.

El Cid anchored there on Tuesday but it appears no one told the crew the river was tidal, or that a century's worth of rock ballast thrown overboard by visiting sailing ships had formed a couple of unforgiving reefs.

Around 3pm the crew spent half an hour trying in vain to tow El Cid free, before deciding instead to wait for high tide. The launch was finally freed about 11pm.