Campers pack their tents as fierce storm lashes country

Holidaymakers run for cover

Campgrounds thinned out yesterday as dire weather forecasts caused many to pack it in rather than endure the wet.

Campers from Mangawhai, Whitianga, Piha and other coastal hotspots made for the hills, with rain, strong winds and king tides expected to make summer uncomfortable.

Piha campground manager Fiona Anderson evacuated campers after she deemed it “dangerous for human life”.

“There’s some big weather systems coming in, 6m swells coming from two different directions, torrential rain forecast . . . and 130km/h winds predicted,” she told the Herald.

On the Coromandel, many left ahead of the depression.

But hardy Whitianga camper Shane Bland wasn’t put off by the weather.

“Nah, just see how it goes, hopefully get through the night. Take this [tent] down and the family will go camp in the TV room,” he said.

The weather hadn’t put him off camping. “I love it — this is the fun of it.” Dan Snedden was another stubborn camper.

“We’re gonna stay rain or shine, we’ve got fishing to do.”

In New Plymouth, thousands of Bryan Adams fans braved rain to watch the rocker’s open-air performance at the Bowl of Brooklands.

Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park manager Adrian Ingham said king tides had pushed the water level higher in the area.

“It’s just rainy and it’s not blowing too hard at the moment. We had a king tide today pre the rain and that was exceptionally high but the wind’s actually blowing in the right way for it not to come into the camp.” More than 20 campers had left the camp with several not even turning up for their reservations, Ingham told the Herald.

“All but a couple of very tough campers have stayed. We’ve just got two people in campervans and two people in small pop-tents that are toughing it out because there’s a concert.”

Civil Defence controller Garry Towers said fire crews had been visiting low-lying coastal areas urging freedom campers to retreat from the coast and to find higher ground.

The fast-moving front is forecast to be clear of the country by tomorrow.

Swimmers brave heavy surf

As the rain rolled in and swells got up yesterday, the pull of the sea drew some in for a dip.

On the Auckland west coast, swimmers got into the surf before the worst of the weather closed in.

At Piha, die-hard swimmers dived into the waves as Surf Life Saving flags flopped over on the beach.

In the Coromandel, Sharon Sutton’s young kids and their friends were out at Kuaotunu Beach in the wind and rain.

Sutton said the weather didn’t seem as bad as the forecast had indicated.

“If there wasn’t a storm warning, you would think it was just a rainy day.”

Sutton said they hadn’t been told to evacuate, but officials seemed to be taking precautions.

“We are right opposite the beach, right next to the river and there’s a digger . . . it’s dug out a big canal and it’s been there since yesterday, so I guess they are prepared.”

She had no plans to leave any time soon and was hopeful the storm would pass quickly.

While people might be keen to get into the stormy surf, Surf Life Saving duty officer Dan Lee said it was important to be cautious.

“There’s a really big swell coming in with very strong onshore winds, big king tides. It’s going to be very dangerous swimming conditions until Saturday at this stage.

“If it’s deemed safe on the day the flags will be out which means it is safe to swim. But if in doubt always stay out.”