Category: Vehicles

Lesley-Anne Walker sent through these photos of a car in the sea on Saturday 29 January 2022.

Continue reading “Most cars aren’t actually amphibians”

Some people using the newly reinstated beach access off Manga Pirau Street have commented on how steep it is. For launching small boats and kayaks, remember the Boat Ramp next to the footbridge, put in by a huge community effort in around 2008 and dedicated to Andy Chaplow. The boat ramp is there for canoes, kayaks, small boats and emergency vehicles.

07 March 2008: Launching kayaks and small boats will soon be a lot easier.

19 October 2008: Resource Consent was granted for Andy’s Boat Ramp, albeit that it took a considerable amount of time. The ramp has been completed … We are sure it will get a lot of use over the summer.

There have been several enquiries as to the size of the ramp. It was designed so that a person could walk either side of a canoe, to allow the waka reasonable access and to permit emergencies vehicles if necessary.

Note: the Resource Consent for the boat ramp expires in 2043.

Today the WBRA received a couple of emails from Arthur Nelson, Property and Parks Manager • Tumu Rawa, Papa Rēhia, Horowhenua District Council about a petition they have received on the topic of access for vehicles and horses to the beach at Waikawa:

We have a 160 signature petition from Waikawa Beach Residents asking Council to establish a vehicle track on the public land adjacent to the existing access [at 10 Reay Mackay Grove]. Clearly if Council is to consider this it will need a resource consent from Horizons to undertake some land formation works in the coastal dunes. They may or may not agree to this. If they do agree then we will need funding for the consent and to establish the track.

The residents of Waikawa Beach may therefore wish to submit to the Annual Plan in support of the petition via the Progressive Association (or individually) to the upcoming plan. I am informed HDC will be accepting submissions in and around April/May 2022.

Note: Horowhenua District Council redacted names for privacy reasons.

Petition for Vehicular access to Waikawa Beach

The undersigned residents and beach users of Waikawa Beach request that vehicular and horse access to the beach be established across public land as opposed to the untenable situation of having to cross private land.

As at the writing of this petition there is no vehicular access to the beach for recreational or emergency use, as the landowners have blocked off the track due to significant erosion caused by recent high tides.

We are requesting that the Northern wider walkway off Reay Mackay Grove be officially designated as beach access for pedestrians, vehicles, and horses. It is very pertinent to note that over recent years, unlike the historic access over private land, this area of the beach has not suffered from erosion thus reducing the need for frequent maintenance.

Notwithstanding the occasional need for emergency access to the beach, the lack of vehicular access severely impacts residents’ quality of life. It prevents them from taking part in their usual recreational activities such as fishing in all forms, white baiting, surfing, canoeing, launching boats and other normal beach activities that require gear to be transported to the edge of the sea.

Yours Sincerely

Update, Saturday 04 December 2021: the Petition will be discussed at the Horowhenua District Council meeting on 08 December 2021. The petition itself and the names of signatories are available on the Meeting Agenda.

Update, Thursday 09 December 2021: at the Council Meeting the Resolution That the Chief Executive provide a full report on all options in respect of beach access at Waikawa Beach was passed.

On Friday 04 December 2020 the Police attended a red car sunk in the Waikawa Stream at the river mouth. It had been there for around 24 hours. See The perils of driving on the beach for details.

It was a week of high sea alerts, rough weather, high tides and plenty of rain. For days the car roof could be seen, if you knew where to look and the tide was low enough. Otherwise, there was no way to see it.

Meanwhile the Miraz Jordan from the WBRA Committee corresponded with Horizons Regional Council and Horowhenua District Council, asking about the pollution and safety hazards. It seemed unlikely there would be any way to remove the wrecked car without also losing a digger to soft sand and river.

Finally though on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 the tides dropped, the skies cleared and the sun came out warm, and Horowhenua District Council sent a digger and a ute and trailer to remove the car from the beach.

Work started around 3.30 pm, going pretty smoothly and easily. By about 3.45 the digger was carrying the car across the river to the trailer. Woohoo!

Continue reading “A bit of an odyssey”

Do you recognise this car roof?

On Friday 04 December 2020 at around 8 am the police arrived to check out this car submerged at the river mouth.

A chap in waders had as good a look as he could and it seems no-one is inside. Police say the car was seen here at 0630 on Thursday, 03 December 2020, but not before. It’s sunk a bit since then. Police are reporting the car to Horowhenua District Council who may choose to remove it.

The number plates are submerged so Police can’t confirm if the car was stolen or find out who it belongs to.

This photo was sent in by Lesley-Anne Walker after the weekend activities: Sunday’s victim of the worm holes.

Apparently one local talked to the couple who own this tractor. They couldn’t get it out. Decided to abandon it and went off in their boat fishing for the day.

By Monday morning there was no sign of it — either sunk or retrieved …