Sun returns for New Year’s Eve
Manawatu people were beaming as they hit the water at Horseshoe Bend Reserve after days of cold weather.
There was no dampening the mood as about five groups, and counting, enjoyed the popular Tokomaru swimming spot.
Roselee Gunning, Taipiria Hurinui, 14, and Tahaafe Kilisimasi, 13, were relaxing by the water with tunes in the background.
Gunning, from Palmerston North, usually visited the spot with a packed lunch, but this time she had come straight from work to enjoy the hot day.
‘‘Hopefully it sticks around longer. It was really cold last night,’’ she said.
Despite more than a dozen people there, Gunning was surprised more people weren’t making the most of the day.
Nicole Zuppicich arrived with a group of friends for a bite to eat and a swim.
The friends, from Palmerston North and Wellington, were at Horseshoe Bend for the first time.
Zuppicich said it was great to finally get a hot day.
Sun, fun and a good time was the goal for the friends who planned to make a splash before thinking about New Year’s Eve plans the following day.
The popular reserve also has bush walks, picnic tables and toilet facilities.
Horizons Regional Council has increased its swim spot monitoring programme from checking 17 sites to over 80 in 2016.
People can find out about potential health risks at swim spots on the Horizons website.
Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon said every week until April 30, 2017, the council would be monitoring the health of the swim spots.
‘‘Water samples from each site are sent to an independent accredited lab for testing.’’
Results would be updated weekly on the website, which had an interactive map showing each of the swim spots marked by traffic light system.
Red means swimming should be avoided, orange means it could be a health risk and green means it’s safe to swim.
‘‘We do urge public and their animals to stay out of the water if they are at a river and see black mat-like slimy growth on the stones that may also be musty smelling,’’ Gordon said.
River sites and lakes were also tested for Cyanobacteria, an algae that can be toxic, and findings would also be reported on the website.
Keeping the public notified of hazards helped make the swim spots safer in a region that offered some of the country’s most stunning scenery and excellent picnicking, camping and bush walking, he said.
Metservice forecaster Tuporo Marsters said the barbecue weather would stick around until New Year’s Eve.
‘‘You can squeeze in another day of fine weather for Saturday. It might just a bit cold in the morning but it should be quite good,’’ he said.
Saturday should hit a high of 22 degrees Celsius, and as the countdown draws closer it could get down to 14C, Marsters said.
Rain would develop about 6am Sunday but witha high of 23C.