Welcome to the first edition of the Westhaven News for 2023.
Our thoughts are with everyone dealing with impacts from the recent adverse weather. Here's hoping the lack of sunshine seen in January is a thing of the past, and we’ll get the rest of summer to dry out and enjoy.
We were pleased to welcome Sharon Belcher to the marina as our new customer service team leader late last year.
Sharon has been working for Auckland Council for the past 10 years, in both a team leader role and as a business improvement advisor. Outside of work, Sharon studies part-time towards a Bachelor of Applied Science (Communication and Psychology). She’s also an apiarist with three beehives, and a member of the NZ Jeep Club. Please feel free to pop in and say hi to Sharon if you’re passing by the office.
After just shy of a year with the marina’s customer service team, the much-loved Izzy Paterson has moved back to his hometown – Palmerston North – to buy a house and start a family. He’ll be well missed by us all for many reasons, including his quick wit and sharp sense of humour. We wish Izzy all the best for his next chapter.
Tuesday 7 March 2023 is census day in New Zealand.
The census provides an understanding of all the people in Aotearoa, where they are living, what their needs are, and offers a complete picture of life in our cities, towns, rural areas, and outer islands. The data obtained from the census gives our communities the power to create change that benefits all of us.
By law, everyone must take part in the census.
If you are planning to be at Westhaven Marina on 7 March, please be aware that you may be approached by a member of the census team.
Click here for information about the 2023 census.
In an emergency situation on land, we’re often within reach of a defibrillator or emergency services, but when we’re away at sea, access can be very limited.
While out on the water this summer, one of our team members noticed a yacht that was flying a flag indicating they have a defibrillator onboard. Curiosity led to a chat with the boat owners, who explained they had purchased the defibrillator as part of their safety equipment while cruising the Pacific. Thankfully, their defibrillator hasn’t been needed yet, but you never know when someone may need access to this lifesaving device, and by advertising there is one onboard, it could potentially be used to save another boatie's life.
Keep an eye out for the green Automated External Defibrillator (AED) flag, and if you have a defibrillator onboard now or purchase one in the future, please think about flying the flag for the benefit of other boaties. It might just save a life.
AED app
Did you know there’s an app available to help you quickly locate the nearest AED to your current location in New Zealand?
Click here to find out more about this app.
Recent inspections of our pedestals have revealed that many berth holders aren’t securing the locking rings after plugging in. The main purpose of the locking rings is to prevent water ingress, which can trip the breaker on the power pedestal. Repeated water ingress will cause corrosion of the plug on your connection and the socket on the pedestal, and this can be costly to rectify.
Please ensure you take the time to secure the connection by locking the ring each time you plug in. This will protect your installation as well as our power supply from corrosion.
Reclamation update
The design for the permanent car park has been finalised and construction is expected to begin soon (around March 2023). Once construction starts, access to the temporary car park and A-AA gate will be removed. The construction and laydown area will encompass the new reclamation as well as a portion of the existing eastern car park area, meaning several car parks will become unavailable during the construction period. Access to A, AA and AB piers will be available via BC gate while construction is underway. A-AA gate will reopen permanently once the car park is complete.
AB gate, at the end of the reclamation, will be installed in conjunction with the permanent car park works and will be available for use once construction is complete.
Thank you for your patience and understanding while this project continues.
F pier refurbishment
The refurbishment of F pier continues, and we expect this work to be completed by April 2023.
Thanks to the berth occupants who have relocated while this work is underway.
G, J and H pier upgrades
We’re pleased to advise that the upgrades to G, J and H piers are now complete, with the exception of the new G / H gate due to a manufacturing delay. We expect early works to install piles for the new gate to begin in the coming weeks. Until the new gate can be installed, temporary access to G pier will remain via the F1 pier gate and to H pier either via the F1 gate or J gate.
We thank you for your patience while this work continues.
Fire alarm system upgrade
The fire alarm system for our piers has reached the end of its operational life and will be replaced with a new system. The upgrade is planned to commence in April 2023 and will be delivered in stages, pier by pier. There should be minimal disruption to pier users.
Dogs and kiwi – know before you go
Auckland is home to over 1.6 million humans, more than 125,000 dogs and, unbeknownst to many people, hundreds of kiwi.
Many of the Hauraki Gulf islands, as well as some onshore areas such as Auckland Council’s Tāwharanui and Shakespear regional parks, are sanctuaries for kiwi and other protected wildlife. But despite these locations having dog restrictions/prohibitions, every summer there are reports of dogs being sighted on islands like Rotoroa and Motutapu, both of which are home to kiwi.
Save the Kiwi is a national charity that works alongside iwi, conservation groups, communities, organisations, and the Department of Conservation to reverse the decline of the kiwi population and create more kiwi-safe habitat all over Aotearoa. Their team is urging boaties who take their dogs out on the water to understand where their four-legged friends can go before leaving shore. If you’re heading out on the water with your pooch this summer, please do your research about dog access before setting out. For information and an interactive map showing where dogs are not allowed within the Hauraki Gulf, please click here.
Keeping a pest free boat means maintaining a clean hull to stop marine pests from hitching a ride, and a cabin free of pests like mice and ants which can spread from one place to another when you are on the move.
In Auckland, the level of fouling (LOF) on your hull and in niches of any craft must not exceed ‘light fouling’. This means no more than a slime layer and scattered barnacles on the hull. This applies to any boat in the Auckland area – moving or not. It includes any niches such as inlets, outlets, rudders or propellers. The species of fouling doesn’t matter to this measurement: total coverage must be no more than 5%. However, if pest species are present then you must not move the craft to a new location as this will involve communicating (moving) the pest too.
Hull checks can happen anytime, anywhere, and you can expect the rules to be enforced, particularly for boats that are moving to areas such as the outer Gulf islands, west coast and other areas that are currently relatively free from marine pests.
Auckland Council’s biosecurity team recently visited Westhaven Marina to carry out random hull checks and we are awaiting the results of their survey.
Do you, your business, or your crew go the extra mile to reduce your impact on the environment? The ‘Sustainable action of the year’ award recognises boaties and businesses who are leading by example to protect our coastlines.
If you have a great story to share, please submit your entry/nomination to info@westhaven.co.nz by 31 March 2023. The winner will receive a walnut wood trophy and a feature article in the Westhaven Marina newsletter.
Click here to read more about the sustainable action of the year award.
Thanks again to those who gave feedback in last year’s annual customer service survey. We’ve gone through your responses to identify areas for improvement, and one recurring topic is security within the marina. We received comments relating to people congregating around Westhaven’s car parks late at night, and security with parked cars and boats.
As part of a security, safety and wellbeing strategy, Eke Panuku has implemented additional security measures in Westhaven, including:
There is also a CCTV project underway across Eke Panuku managed waterfront areas, which involves:
Security is an ongoing partnership with the marina community, and we acknowledge the diligence of marina users in proactively reporting any issues. If you notice anything suspicious or have any security concerns whatsoever, please continue to let us know as soon as possible.
It’s almost time to have your say (confidentially) about Westhaven Marina in this year’s customer satisfaction survey.
We love receiving your feedback and our annual survey gives us the opportunity to hear your views about the marina, which helps us with future planning.
The 2023 survey will be sent out sometime in March, so please keep an eye on your email inbox for an invitation to participate. We encourage you to complete the survey, so we can look at areas for improvement. All completed surveys will go in the draw to win one of five $50 vouchers for one of our fantastic marina businesses.
We’ll keep you informed about how we’re taking your feedback on board by addressing key themes identified from your responses via our newsletter throughout the year.
Yacht club events
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s (RNZYS) 36 Degrees Brokers Squadron Weekend is on this coming weekend (10 and 11 February) on Kawau Island. Cruise, race, fish and party on the island at Lidgard House. For more information about this event, please click here or email reception@rnzys.org.nz to purchase your beach party tickets.
Feel-Good Fridays and Summer SUN-Days are about to begin at the RNZYS. Visit them on Fridays (from 17 February) from 3pm and Sundays (from 19 February) from 10am, with live music (on Sundays only) and drink specials at their soon to be opened North Lawn bar, and dinghy locker. These events will be open to the public, so take your family, friends and furry pals too!
RNZYS is hosting a celebration of ‘women on water’ on Saturday 12 August, offering a chance to network with your fellow female sailors. All race entries must be 70% female and skippered by a female. Entries open in March. For more information about this event, please click here.
Richmond Yacht Club’s Marsden Cove Marina Route 66 is their ‘short’ coastal race from Auckland to Marsden Cove in Whangarei on Friday 3 March. Organised in association with Onerahi Yacht Club, the race includes open keeler, multihull and the singlehanded divisions. With a 9am start, you’ll finish Friday evening in time to join the party at Marsden Cove Marina. It’s a great introduction to coastal racing for new boats as the safety requirements are Cat 4+ and the fleet stays within the barrier islands. For more information about this event, please click here.
Weather permitting, there’s quite a bit happening at Silo Park this month. There will be two Silo Park cinema sessions, one on 10 February to celebrate pride month with a screening of Everything Everywhere All At Once, and the other on 17 February (rescheduled from 13 January) to screen the blockbuster Thor: Love and Thunder.
iSpy Silo Park (an interactive, self-guided real-life version of “Where’s Wally” for all ages) continues until 28 February.
To find out more about these and other Silo Park events, please click here.
Foodies delight! Indulge®, New Zealand’s newest and largest food, wine and design festival, is coming to Wynyard Point and Jellicoe Harbour from 2 – 5 March, 11.30am – 9pm.
A wide array of dishes and an extensive list of wineries will be on show, as well as interactive masterclasses from world-renowned chefs and restauranteurs, alongside homegrown talent. Live music will be performed by some of New Zealand’s best entertainers at the festival stage on-site. It's an event not to be missed if you love food, wine and music!
For ticketing information and to find out more about this event, please click here.
Fancy an ocean swim across New Zealand’s most prominent marine highway alongside the Auckland Harbour Bridge? Register now for Harcourts Cooper & Co Swim the Bridge, which is set to take place at Harbour Bridge Park in Westhaven on Saturday 11 March (the rain date for this event is Sunday 21 May).
There will be two swim distances - a 2km (starts at 10.30am) swim and a 1km (starts at 11am), both starting and finishing on Curran Street. To help the event run safely, a road closure will be in place on Curran Street, from the Northern Motorway onramp to the roundabout at Westhaven Drive, from midnight until after the event at approximately 12.45pm. Road marshals will be in place to provide information and guidance to motorists.
For ticketing information and to find out more about this event, please click here. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the event, please contact the organisers by emailing info@oceanswim.co.nz.
The Auckland Boat Show will be back from 23 - 26 March and is taking place on Wynyard Point’s former America’s Cup team bases and expanding into Jellicoe Harbour.
Exhibitors will include more than 200 domestic and international marine businesses, as well as us! Westhaven Marina will be at stand 105 in pavilion one. We’ll have team members available to chat about the marina and projects taking place within Westhaven, so feel free to pop by and say hi to us!
You can buy tickets here.