While many of us are taking time out and putting our feet up over the holiday period, our Harbourmaster and his team will be out on the water every day dealing with incidents and accidents and ensuring everyone is safe.
More than 200 navigational marker buoys have been deployed around the coastline and lakes of Tasman to ensure all water users stay in the areas they should.
The holiday hotspot of Kaiteriteri is one of the priority areas for safety. Separate zones are marked out for swimmers, water skiers and access to the boat launching ramp.
This summer, there’s the added attraction of the huge inflatable Waterworld Wipeout attraction at Kaiteriteri, which means all water users will need to stay in their lanes.
Every year, skippers and swimmers don’t stick to their designated areas and that endangers all users. Last summer, infringement notices were issued for things like boats speeding too close to shore and mooring in incorrect areas.
There are a couple of critical rules everyone should keep in mind.
- Stick to designated and marked access lanes.
- Slow to five knots within 50 metres of any moored vessel.
- Only those aged 15 or over can skipper a boat capable of doing more than seven knots.
- Personal watercraft are banned from Kaiteriteri Bay and may only transit the area.
The best advice is – driving a boat on the water is just like driving a car on the road. “Don’t trust everyone else to be doing the right thing – be a defensive boatie!”