4m swells force ships from Napier
Crashing waves close viewing platform on Marine Parade and beach in Hastings
Hugh swells smashing the Hawke’s Bay coast forced Napier Port to turn away ships yesterday. Clifton Beach was closed by Hastings District Council and the Napier City Council closed the Marine Parade viewing platform after tourists were drenched by a heaving sea.
MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said a slow building pressure system out to the east had ramped up the seas, causing swells up to 4m.
McInnes said the huge swells had
the potential to “cause a bit of havoc on the coast”, possibly continuing until Saturday morning.
“The main thing that is causing the big waves is the easterly winds.
“With a large space and a slow build-up it leaves time for some quite nice swells to develop,” McInnes said.
Napier Port general manager of container operations Warren Young said the swells meant the passage of vessels into the port was not safe, potentially for the next three days.
“We have informed our customers that we are not currently allowing any vessel to enter the port until the conditions subside.
“We are monitoring the situation . . . but, based on current forecasts, we expect these conditions to continue until Saturday morning.
“We currently have three log vessels at anchor. We only close the port a few times a year due to swell but it’s unprecedented that we need to close for this length of time.
“Our landside operations are not affected by the weather, so trucks are still able to drop off or pick up cargo.”
Due to the heavy swells hitting the Clifton Beach area around Clifton Motor Camp the Hastings council has advised people to stay away and has closed the slip-prone beach.
“In the interest of public safety we strongly urge people to stay away from the boat ramp, revetment wall and surrounding areas,” a council spokesperson said. “Forecasts indicate these swells are expected to ease below warning criteria by Friday.”
The Napier council temporarily closed the viewing platform yesterday, saying it would review it at the next high tide, about 11 last night.
It would be reopened as soon as possible, the council said.
Some people took advantage of a hairy experience on the platform before it closed, with some getting wetter than others.
Sandy Robertson and Lynette Quin, visitors from Auckland, said it was a thrill standing on it about midday watching the impressive white water around them.
“We just assumed it was like this all the time,” Robertson said, “It just gives you such an adrenaline rush standing here watching the waves as they come in.”
Napier resident Chris Gouverneur, who used to own a surf rescue boat when previously living in Dunedin, said the rolling seas gave him a wave of nostalgia.
“Watching these waves gives you a real adrenaline rush,” he said, “Waves like this used to be a bit of a playground for us divers, being in them was both terrifying and exciting. I’ll tell ya people had to hang on pretty tight in the boat.”