Issue 611 - The Mercury Bay Informer

Transcription

The
Mercury Bay
Issue 611 - 18 November 2014
Phone 07 866 2090
RTING
UPPO
LOCALS S ALS
LOC
A new Whitianga
ferryman
Circulation 5,800
MBAS students
to build
second RV12 see page 10.
By Alison Smith
The iconic Stella B ferry boat that has
provided inspiration to artists, delight to
visitors and a reliable, though somewhat
quaint, mode of transport to commuters
in Whitianga for decades will be replaced
in the coming year under the guidance of
a new owner.
Fred Acke and partner Caroline are
taking ownership this week of the
Whitianga ferry business from Dave
Pierrepont, who has owned the business
for 40 years and will finally be able to
enjoy a Christmas off.
“It’s a nice office and I’ve met a lot
of people and made friends with them.
The ferry brings people together,” says
Dave. “I would like to thank the people
who have supported the ferry over the
years.
“I’m looking forward to doing
other things. We want to have the first
Christmas with the family for 34 years.
It’s like the Pony Express, it’s got to keep
going no matter what, which has been a
bit of a challenge sometimes with the
weather.”
Ferry users will see little immediate
change to the service while Fred takes
the helm during the silly season, but there
are already plans afoot for a replacement
50 seat ferry for the Stella B over the
next year.
As a trained boat builder, seaman on
super yachts for 32 years and aficionado
of coastal village character, Fred is intent
on making improvements to safety,
comfort, capacity and accessibility
without compromising personality.
New owner of the Whitianga ferry business Fred Acke (who’s also a Movember supporter)
with family members Caroline and Mia (in the front).
“Dave has run an excellent service and
has great staff, so I would be a fool to
wave a big stick and change anything
straight away,” he says. “I’ll watch how
the business operates this summer and
that will give me a lot of new ideas.
Dave has got great ideas too and as we
get into it we’ll bring a new boat online.
“We’ll come up with a great ferry.
The size will be the biggest change
as it will match the Mercury Star
[the service’s other ferry]. At 46 years
old the Stella B is getting a little old and
small capacity-wise for the ever growing
services in Whitianga. Having the three
steps in and out makes it difficult for
wheelchairs and bikes and in summer
you can have 50-100 people waiting,
(Continued on page 2)
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New owner of the Whitianga ferry business
(Continued from page 1)
so I want to speed that up and also
increase the safety side of things with
lifejackets on board.
Fares for casual ferry users will
increase from $3 to $4 one way and $5
to $6 return and children’s fares will
increase from $1.50 to $2 for one way
and from $3 to $4 return. Concession
passes will remain the same for now at
$60 for 40 trips.
Thames Coromandel District Council
owns, manages and maintains both
the Ferry Landing and the Whitianga
wharves and it was the Council’s
decision to review the prices. “There is
a cost to maintaining this infrastructure,”
says Mercury Bay Community Board
chairman Paul Kelly. “And Whitianga
ferry fares have not been reviewed and
raised for some years.”
As one of its current projects,
TCDC has set aside $660,000 to restore
the existing historic stone wharf at Ferry
Landing by recovering old stone blocks
from the sea floor beside the wharf.
These will be used to rebuild the original
stone steps and sections of a missing
wall.
The wharf is classified as a Grade One
structure by the Historic Places Trust
and is need of restoration. A working
group has been appointed for the project,
which is in partnership with TCDC,
the Historic Places Trust, iwi, the
Institute of Engineers and the Mercury
Bay community.
Fred is no stranger to coastal heritage,
hailing from the Channel Islands off the
coast of France. Before sailing away
at age 16, he grew up in a place called
Alderney, which he says is a three square
mile island best described as, “1800
alcoholics clinging to a rock - and I think
I’m the only person to escape since the
war.”
Fred has owned his house in Whitianga
for four years and met Caroline here.
He first sailed to New Zealand in an
old sailing ship, the Anna Kristina.
“I came around the North Island in 1989
and on that tour of New Zealand, this is
the honest truth, I always knew I would
end up living here. Of all of the world
that I have sailed, I think Mercury Bay is
probably one of the best places to live."
He says Alderney is similar to
Whitianga, which he now calls home.
“It has a lot of the characteristics of
where I grew up. A little ferry business
in a small town surrounded by water.”
Fred worked in the super yacht
industry and lived in the Caribbean for
16 years before sailing to New Zealand
on that first visit 25 years ago.
He wanted to buy Dave’s ferry
business for three years and jokes,
“The only way Dave could get rid of me
was to sell me the business. It is about
time he had a Christmas off. I wonder
how many times he has crossed the
harbour.”
The ferry operates 365 days of the
High & Low Tides
for Mercury Bay and Hot Water Beach
DAY/
DATE
HIGH
AM
LOW
AM
HIGH
PM
LOW
PM
Tue 18
4:19
10:17
4:40
10:49
Wed 19
5:13
11:09
5:29
11:38
Thu 20
6:04
11:59
6:18
Fri 21
6:53
0:25
7:06
12:47
Sat 22
7:41
1:11
7:53
1:34
Sun 23
8:27
1:57
8:40
2:20
Mon 24
9:12
2:42
9:28
3:07
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Readers’ contributions of articles and letters are welcome.
Publication of contributions are entirely at the discretion of the Editor.
Contributions will only be considered for publication when accompanied by
the author’s name and surname, telephone number and residential address.
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure accuracy.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the
owner or publisher.
Published by: Mercury Bay Media Limited
Publisher: Petra Roodt
Editor: Stephan Bosman
Contributing Editors: Rowena Brown, Bryan Layton, ,
Hayden Smith, Len Salt and Alison Smith
Motoring Columnist: Jack Biddle
Many individuals rowed themselves
and others across the river before a
ferry service began. The service was
first officially started by Neil Harris,
who rowed people and livestock across
the river for a fee.
The stone wharf located on the Ferry Landing side of the river was built in 1837
and is reputed to be the first stone wharf built in Australasia. It was commissioned
by a timber merchant who owned a trading post and ship building yard in the area.
The stone used for the steps were obtained from nearby. The Whitianga (town side)
wharf was first built in 1882.
The Stella B was named by a previous owner after his wife. It was built to replace
a ferry that was washed away off its mooring never to be seen again during the
same night as the Wahine tragedy. The second and larger ferry, Mercury Star
(named after the Bay), was built by Whangarei Engineering. It was specifically
designed to operate in shallow waters for use as a ferry and river cruise vessel in
Whitianga.
Tide data sponsored by
The Mercury Bay Informer is published weekly on Tuesdays and circulated
throughout the Coromandel Peninsula.
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ISSN 2230-2719 © 2014 Mercury Bay Media Limited
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Page 2
year with seasonal variations in times,
currently crossing all day from 7:30am
to 10:30pm with two one hour breaks
between 6:30pm and 7:30pm and 8:30pm
to 9:30pm.
It’s a service that has operated for over
100 years since its beginning in 1895.
Whitianga P: 866 5947
Whangamata P: 07 865 8088
Lay-by’s Welcome
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What’s that Number?
Emergency (Ambulance, Fire, Police)............................................................111
Police (Whitianga) ...............................................................................866 4000
Police (Tairua) .....................................................................................864 8888
Police (Coromandel) ...........................................................................866 1190
Fight crime anonymously - Call Crime Stoppers .................. .......0800 555 111
Dog and Noise Control .................................................. .....................868 0200
Poison Centre ................................................................ ..............0800 764 766
Dental Emergency (Mercury Bay) .......................................................869 5500
Civil Defence ......................................................................................868 0200
Medical Centre (Mercury Bay) ............................................................866 5911
Doctors Surgery (Mercury Bay) ..........................................................866 4621
Medical Centre (Tairua) ........................................................................864 8737
Harbour Master (Whitianga) .........................................................027 493 1379
Harbour Master (Tairua) ................................................................027 476 2651
Coastguard Radio Operators .............................................................866 2883
Social Services Whitianga ............................................. .....................866 4476
Do you want the local community to celebrate your new baby’s arrival with you?
Please phone or email us, it will be our pleasure to publish
your baby’s photo and details in The Informer.
Think there’s a local resident who need some recognition?
Let us know and that person may just be our LOCAL OF THE MONTH.
At The Informer LOCAL IS WHAT WE DO!
The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz
New mural at Te Rerenga School
entrance
During the previous school holidays, Anna Yates, principal of Te Rerenga School,
met for two days with five talented former students, Zenobie Halliwell (now Year 12 at
St Peters), Floyd Johnston and Caitlyn Yates (now Year 11 at Mercury Bay Area School)
and Ra Kuchlein and Atawhai Charteris (now Year 10 at MBAS) to create a new mural
(pictured) that is now adorning the entrance to the school.
Ms Yates asked Wanda Brljevich of local iwi Ngati Huarere about the history and
meaning of Te Rerenga. The students used the information given to them by Ms
Brljevich as a starting point for the mural. Ms Yates is very happy that the mural is
now an artwork representing the, in her words, “Incredible environment that we are
fortunate to grow and learn in.”
Guthrie Bowron Whitianga and the Dulux Paint for Schools Programme donated all
the paint for the mural and Bruce Johnston braced the back of the mural and created
a border for it, enabling it to be displayed. Lucy Kuchlein was also a great help in the
project.
Summer Smiles Tooth
Whitening Promotion!
In-Surgery Tooth
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Immediate results after only an hour in the dental chair.
Take-Home Tooth
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Includes custom-made trays & whitening gel only available from dentists.
Offer ends 31st January 2015
Call 869 5500 to book your appointment with Tamsin today!
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Spend $120 and receive a $10 voucher
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Page 3
Tales of NZ pioneer women on
The House Warmers at On Fire
stage at Eggsentric this weekend this weekend
On 19 September this year, celebrating the 121st anniversary of New Zealand women
gaining the right to vote, Rachel Dawick (pictured) released her double album
(and accompanying 52 page fully illustrated colour book) “The Boundary Riders.”
And this Saturday 22 November Rachel will be performing at Eggsentric Café at
Flaxmill Bay.
The Boundary Riders follows the journey of a range of infamous female characters
whose names, largely unknown in the New Zealand history pages, reveal stories that
would slip easily into any Wild West adventure book. From prostitutes to missionary
wives and gold miners to magicians, these tales are of conquests, survival, persistence
and the merging of peoples and cultures from far distant lands into the birth of New
Zealand as we know our country today.
In the words of muzic.net.nz, “There’s a stunning display of songwriting and
musicianship on display here.” Guests at Eggsentric this Saturday will not be
disappointed. For more information see www.eggsentriccafe.co.nz.
11A Coghill Str, Whitianga
Tel: 07 866 2200
We do small
parties - up to
45 people
Tues - Thur 5pm - 10pm
Fri - Sat 5pm - 10:30pm
Sunday 5pm - 9:30pm
www.alcaminos.co.nz
Full Menu at
www.govino.co.nz
Ph. 867 1215
for bookings
Closed Tue/ Wed
SUMMER
CONCERT
TICKETS
AVAILABE
NOW @
THE TAVERN
Auckland based duo The House Warmers (pictured), with members Ted Clarke
(left) and Paul Brownlee, will be raising the temperature at On Fire Beach Café
this Friday 21 and Saturday 22 November. The duo will perform songs from Ted’s
critically acclaimed album “Wildlife” as well as material co-written for an album
they are currently recording. Their set includes a liberal dose of Blues, Soul and
roots Rock ‘n Roll classics that have influenced their music over the years.
Ted has long held a reputation as one of New Zealand’s best front men. In recent
years he cemented his reputation as a consummate live performer with his swing
show band “Del Piranha and His Rhythm Kings.”
Paul has performed throughout New Zealand with a diverse range of bands such
as The Red Squad, Acid Casualty and Deep Fried. His musical roots are firmly in
the Blues, with a passion for the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddie King.
Paul used to perform with On Fire’s Rob Riley in Auckland band Kirinco during
the 90’s, including a number of memorable shows in Whitianga.
Expect great songs delivered with passion, infused with searing harmonica and
soulful Blues guitar.
19 Kaizen dishes
+ 31 different beers and
72 great wines
Today you will kick ass and
make dreams happen…
but first you need
DARTS NIGHT
DOUBLES COMP
7:30pm
New to the
Menu
B.L.T
w/ Chips
Come in and
try our new
SEAFOOD &
BACON
PIZZA
NEW MENU
Breakfast from
9am - 12 pm
The biggest Big Breakfast
in Mercury Bay
Free Taxi
Service from
the Ferry
for Booked
Diners
Any Night
SURF ‘n’ TURF
Scotch Fillet,
Pan Fried Prawns,
Chunky Chips,
w/ Salad
Why Cook when
we can…
POOL’S ON
US ALL DAY! FULL TAKEAWAY
deeelish
• Sushi
Opening Hours:
• Japanese Cuisine
Mon - Sat 9am - 7pm
Dine in or Take away
DV
D
Some new & some old
favourites
Gotta Love
Sundays
New
PH 866 3809
69 Albert Street,
Fried Chicken
Nibbles
Half dozen for $8
Dozen for $15
Whitianga
Ph 07 866 5858
TOP MOVIES
What’s New REVIEW
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (M) (Out Wed)
A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of
the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived as both
sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as earth’s dominant species. This is
an incredible sequal that surpasses Rise of the Planet Apes. The special effects are superb, taking the apes to
a whole new level. One of the Best Films of the Year. Reviewed By Cara.
Page 4
SERVICE
•
•
•
•
•
Last Tango in Halifax S2
Postman Pat: The
Movie
Devil’s Knot
Monty Python Live
(Mostly)
Once Upon a Time S3
Steak Night $14 Fish’n’Chips
HAPPY HOUR
$16 Scotch
4 - 7pm!!
Fillet, Salad &
Fries Only $16! POOL COMP
HAPPY HOUR
4 - 7 pm!!
8pm $5 entry
Winner takes all!
Book your
work function
now
BYO Wine
Closed today
Open 7 days
from mid Dec
Friday Friendsy
Happy Hour 4 - 7pm
Meat raffles
Meat raffles
Chase the ACE
$100 Bar Tab Drawn
Win $250!!!
@ 6pm
H/Hour 4 - 7pm
$10 Burgers
JAMEOKE 9pm
DJ Mighty 9pm
Open 6 Days
Closed Monday
Dine In • Takeaway • Delivery
Tues - Sun 5pm - Late
13 / 1 Blacksmith Lane, Whitianga
Open @ 6pm
Yacht Race Day
Stunning
SEA VIEWS!
Alfresco Dining!
Awesome
Coffee!
Lunch
Combo
Special
$5.95
Buy One Main and
enter into the draw
to win Dinner for Two
(One Entrée, Two
Chicken or Veg
Curries and Two
Butter Naan)
Raffles 5.30pm
MEMBERS DRAW
SNOOKER
1.30pm
8 BALL
7.30pm
DARTS 7.30pm
$8 Lunch
Special
Steak Night
$16 Scotch Fillet
Live Sport on 6
Big Screens
Live Band
View 200
motorbikes!
AGENT SMITH $10 Burgers
9pm
FREE POOL
Dine In FREE
on your Birthday
One main, rice & naan.
Minimum
2-person party.
$10 Curry
Night
Happy Hour
4 - 7pm!!
Authentic North
Indian Cuisine
Wide selection of seafood,
vegetarian & gluten-free.
Children’s menu available.
Open @ 10am
Open @ 5pm
Open @ 10am
Closed Today
Closed Today
BIG BAND JAZZ @
The House Warmers
The
House
Ice Creams
5pm followed by
Coming soon
Live from 7pm
Warmers
Impromptu
Smoothies
Booty-shakin’
Whole Suckling
Jam Session!!
Live From 7pm
Juices &
Acoustic good
Bookings advised text
Pig - Spit Roasts
With
Ted
Clarke
Wood
Fired
times!!
0274866744 or call
Pizzas!
for Summer! These guys are HOT!! & Paul Brownlee!
07 8662275
Lunch
Combo
Special
$5.95
Delicious and Affordable Indian Food.
Enjoy restaurant quality food in
the comfort of your own home.
Food made with freshly ground spices.
Enjoy real curry pies
Mercury Bay Players
The ABSOLUTLY FABULOUS SHOW
7.30pm
QUIZ
TAB
NIGHT
7:30pm POKIES
Check
out
our NEW
Summer
Menu
Wishing
Tree
$1,000 worth
of prizes
From 5 - 7pm
Live Piano
Our Specialty
Music from
Home Grown
6pm. Open
Pacific Oysters
from 4:30pm
$22 per dozen
Tue - Sun
Quiet,
sophisticated
ambience
for the discerning.
Tidy Dress
standard required.
Weekly chef’s
special.
Pop in to see
what’s
on offer.
Lunch
Tues - Sun from 12 noon
Dinner
Tues - Sun from 5pm
Closed Monday
Live
Sports
on the big
screens
Club Open
11am
Sports Bar
TAB POD
Garden Bar
Nap Time
INDOOR
BOWLS
7:15pm
All Blacks v HAPPY
HOUR
Wales
4 - 6pm
replay
Every
9am
week day
Serving fine wine,
beer and cocktails.
Quality small plates and
platters.
Christmas day bookings
being taken now.
$69 a head.
Bookings essential.
Great NEW Come and Our café is open
Summer meet our new all-day every day!
team!
menu!
WHITIANGA
49 Albert Street, Whitianga P: 07 866 5726
Poker Run
Lunch 12:30
TABLE BOOKINGS
Lunchtime dining 07 PHONE
866 0456
at it’s best.
Last booking
6pm
Enjoy lagoon views! MonSat- Fri
8pm
Sun 6pm
HEATPUMPS
• We supply and install. • Call for a no-obligation free quote.
Page 5
OPEN
Seven Nights
from 4pm
Friday - Sunday
from 11:30am
TAPAS / SHARED PLATE
MENU AVAILABLE
FROM MIDDAY
Open 7 days a week from 3:30pm for
the freshest seafood in town and some
say the best steak too!!!
Open Christmas Day lunch - let us do
the cooking and washing up for you!!!
Bookings essential
Serving the freshest seafood in town
11th Whitianga Dive Festival
around the corner
The 11th Annual Whitianga Dive
Festival will take place this year from
28 to 30 November. The event is hosted
by Dive Zone Whitianga and owners
Darrell and Linda Bird say this is one
weekend divers, local and from around
the country, shouldn’t miss.
This year again promises to be a great
weekend of networking, competitions,
challenges, a bit of partying and loads
of awesome prizes to be given away.
Participants have the freedom to choose
how many events they want to enter.
“Do as little or as much as you want to,
it’s as easy as that,” Linda says.
The fun will be kicking off in the
morning of Friday 28 November with
an underwater photography competition.
For those not into picture taking there is
the great cray hunt or the spearfishing
competition. Prizes for closest to the
"mystery" weight for male and female
crays and the New Zealand Underwater
Association trophy for the biggest
crayfish will be up for grabs.
The evening is set aside for
social networking at the Dive Zone
Whitianga store in Blacksmith Lane.
There’s no charge. Weekend participants
are welcome to just drop in for a sausage
and a cold one and to meet up with
fellow divers. Shark expert Riley Elliot
will be present and will be sharing a few
of his thoughts.
Saturday 29 November all the action will
be down at Whitianga’s Buffalo Beach
and promises to be a great day for the
family to have a picnic and enjoy the fun
and games. The Mares treasure hunts on
the sand for the kids and in the water for
the adults will be followed by the highly
competitive scuba Olympic challenge.
The evening will see with a “Pacific
Voyager” fancy dress dinner and dance
at Whitianga’s Salt Restaurant and Bar.
A BBQ breakfast prize giving on
Sunday morning 30 November will be
time for the major prize give-aways,
including the grand prize of a dive trip
for two to Niue in July 2015.
Sponsorship from a great range of
dive companies and organisations shows
how well this local Whitianga event is
regarded among the New Zealand diving
fraternity. Darrell and Linda would like
to acknowledge the support of Mares,
Beuchat, Apollo, the New Zealand
Underwater Association, Intova and
Mission Kayaks.
See www.divefestival.co.nz or contact
Linda on mobile 0274 827 273 for more
details.
The Espy Cafe
Got your rewards card yet?
Come see us at The Espy.
10 The Esplanade
07 866 0778
the.espy.whiti@gmail.com
Free coffee & muffin
winner
Rewards card no 10129
2 TARAKIHI
5 MUSSELS
$2.00 CHIPS
ONLY $11.00
The kids’ treasure hunt on Whitianga’s Buffalo Beach during
last year’s Dive Zone Dive Festival.
facebook.com/
Mercury Bay Meats
You wouldn’t buy Fish from a Chemist,
Or Tripe from a Bazaar.
You wouldn’t go into a Fish Shop
If you wanted to buy a Cigar.
You don’t buy boots from a Tailor,
Or go to a Hotel for a Hat.
So why buy your MEAT from a Grocer?
P/F: 07 866 5614 M: 027 302 7880
www.hurry4curry.co.nz
Page 6
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Delicious Affordable Indian Food
39 Albert Street, Whitianga
(Westpac Arcade)
Ph 07 866 2666 Open
Lunch 11 - 2
Dinner 5 onwards
ur
Order your
Christmas
ham now.
Can’t take
orders after
6 Dec.
75 Albert st, Whitianga
House Combo
1/2 Curry and 1/2 Rice & Naan $9.95*
Chicken or Vegetarian
Available anytime *(Lamb, Beef and Prawn Extra)
Joyful start to Christmas season
By Len Salt
I spent three days at work last week in the
company of a gentleman, I’m going to
call him Archie the Grinch, who thought
that Christmas was an imposition. A
time when he was expected to buy gifts,
be happy and extend goodwill to
others. What an extraordinary notion?
Who would want to celebrate those
things?
After that experience I needed my
spirits uplifting and the Mercury Bay
Community Choir’s rendition of Joseph
M Martin’s “Season Of Wonders A Christmas Cantata,” last Sunday in the
Whitianga Town Hall was just the tonic
to do exactly that.
The wonderful thing about our local
choir is that they are so obviously having
the time of their lives. I tiptoed around to
the front and got a few photos from that
angle. It’s a good thing conductor Jess
Bradley had her back to the audience
because she didn’t stop smiling all the
way through the performance. It could
have been quite distracting, but probably
not, as most of the choir managed to
smile and sing at the same time as well.
The Cantata is an interesting piece that
draws water from a number of different
wells, along with the spring of Martin’s
own creative source. It opens with a
solo on piano (Liz Nicholls in great
form as usual), incorporating a melody
line from “Oh Come all ye Faithful.”
References to other carols, (Oh Holy
Night, Silent Night), classical music and
even a snippet of Greensleeves, make
it an easily accessible composition.
Even if you have not heard it before,
the Cantata constantly delivers music
that the audience can recognise and relate
to. The original parts of the Cantata,
written by Martin himself, use popular
melodic progressions, which also make
those sections ear-friendly to most
audiences.
The music is interspersed with short
spoken pieces. These are essentially
parts of the story of Christmas and were
delivered by individual choir members
coming to the front and speaking their
parts. Many Kiwis have a morbid fear
of microphones and don’t have a clue
about how they work. I have seen many
a performance spoiled by bad sound.
Last Sunday was not one of those.
The system in this instance had been
properly set up, but even when the
performers stood too far back off the mic
for it to be of any use, they all spoke out
clearly and loud enough to be heard right
at the back of the town hall.
The energy and enthusiasm of the
overall performance was excellent.
The only minor niggle, and no criticism
whatsoever of the choir, is that Whitianga
desperately needs a new piano, a
decent grand piano that can be used
for choir, symphony and other events.
Now that the X-Ray funds are secured,
perhaps that could be something the
community can get behind. Come on
Whitianga, you can do this.
After
the
choir’s
rendition,
the audience was invited to stand and
sing carols. I don’t think I saw anybody
not joining in. With another 90 voices
helping the choir out, and somehow
achieving great natural harmonies,
the effect was delightful and uplifting.
It was great also to see some
youngsters in the choir, including
ten-year-old Phoebe Asquith beside
her mother Melanie and 11 year old
Alexander Nielsen with his mother
Katie. Alexander also plays drums and
bagpipes, so we can add him to the
growing list of young talent this town
has to offer.
Whatever your personal reasons for
celebrating Christmas, the opportunity is
available to all of us to celebrate a time
of joy and giving. Archie the Grinch,
you missed out on a great start to the
festive season. Maybe next year we’ll
see you there?
The Mercury Bay Community Choir performing “Season of Wonders a Christmas Cantata”‑ last Sunday in the Whitianga Town Hall.
Page 7
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Full Body Scrub, Hot Compresses and Moisturising $65
SPECIAL - 1 hr Massage and Another Treatment $70
Free pick-up service from and to the ferry
Contact Maria 866 4987 or 021 404 923
14 Parkland Place, Whitianga
In the few weeks since its opening, The Espy Café on The Esplanade in Whitianga
has certainly made its mark on the local café scene. And the momentum is just not
stopping.
A new initiative from owners Duncan and Bev Wood is a free coffee and muffin each
week for the lucky holder of an Espy rewards card. That’s right, just get yourself
an Espy rewards card to be in with a chance to win a free coffee and muffin.
The lucky number will each week be published on the Espy advertisement in The
Informer. See page 6 for this week’s winner.
Pictured is The Espy barista Peter Searle showing why an Espy rewards card isn’t a
bad idea.
WHITIANGA PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC
Robert Lindsay Dip Phty(Otago) ADP(OMT), Dip.MT.
Co-author of ‘Treat Your Own Shoulder’
and Associates
Crystal Vause BHScPhysiotherapy
Manipulation / Back and Neck Pain / Work Injuries
Sports Injuries / Post Surgery and Fracture Rehab
Acupuncture / Hand Therapy / Women’s Health Clinic
Physiotherapists with the qualifications to provide
excellence in physical health care
Dr Adam’s and Hemmes’s Surgery - Ph 866 4621
mint
Thumbs
Up
To Whitianga’s
Malcolm and
Pauline Brown
for once again being the
energy behind another
successful Robinson
Road Scallop and
Seafood Party.
To the
Mercury
Bay RSA for donating
a wheelchair and a
pair of crutches to the
Mercury Bay X-Ray
Trust.
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The Informer Offices
14 Monk Street
Whitianga
Mobility equipment available for locals or visitors.
Walking frames, crutches, walking sticks and mobility scooters
Phone Roger on 07 867 1986 for more information
Page 8
The names and faces behind Whitianga’s Evolution Fitness
For 12 months Steve Hill and Annette
Hosking travelled the width and breadth
of New Zealand in a motorhome looking
for the ideal place to buy or set up a
new gym. Two months ago their travels
stopped when they bought Pinnacle
Health and Fitness in Coghill Street,
Whitianga.
Both Steve and Annette are fitness
fanatics. In fact, Annette, a bodybuilder,
was last year crowned Miss New Zealand
Physique, a title she proudly held until
two weeks ago when the new champion
was crowned. “I have taken the past year
Steve Hill and Annette Hosking inside Evolution Fitness in Whitianga.
off, but may get back onto the stage next
year again,” she said. “Although I have
really enjoyed it being more relaxed.”
So, how did the two of them end up
in Whitianga? “We have family here,”
answered Steve. “We came to visit
and they told us about the local gym.
We came to have a look and on the spur
of the moment asked the owners if they
wanted to sell. The answer was yes.
And here we are.”
The past two months were very busy
for Steve and Annette. “We asked many
gym members what they would like to
see different,” Steve said. “It became
quite clear they wanted longer access
hours, so we decided to go for 24 hours a
day, seven days a week access. The only
thing to work out was how we could
achieve that while still having time to
enjoy all the great things the local area
has to offer.”
The issue wasn’t impossible to
overcome and all members are now able
to access the gym, renamed Evolution
Fitness, and its facilities anytime they
want using an access tag.
And talking about facilities - the inside
of the gym has been brightened up and
reconfigured and now has a dedicated
cardiovascular area with a greater
variety of equipment and a separate
resistance (weights) training area,
also with a greater variety of equipment.
“We’re happy that you now can exercise
your whole body in the gym,” Steve said.
“We made a lot of effort to get suitable
equipment and I spent a fair bit of time
on the road the past month or so bringing
all the gear to Whitianga.”
Steve and Annette won’t be offering
any fitness classes in the gym.
“We really don’t have the space for that,”
Annette said. “Fortunately there are
people in the community offering things
like boot camps and pilates classes,
so everyone is catered for.”
Both Steve and Annette are available to
do personal training with gym members
who have a need for that and are also
happy to provide advice on supplements
and nutrition. “We stock a range of top
quality protein supplements for those in
search of reduced body weight and lean
muscles,” said Annette.
Looking forward, Steve said,
“We’ve made a significant investment in
the gym. We’re absolutely stoked to be
in Whitianga. We can walk everywhere,
it’s safe, the people are super friendly.
We love it here. For now we’re going to
make sure the gym works like clockwork.
And in the future we’re going to do lots
of fishing and enjoy all the things there
are to do on the Peninsula.”
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and Jin Shin Jyutsu
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Phone 021 250 1278
or Phone 866 2313
Claudia Pentner 14 Monk Street,
Whitianga
House visits available
If you come here for a rest, you deserve a decent sleep
Bedpost Whitianga - Your sleeping specialists
Lee Street, Whitianga P: 07 866 2448
Page 9
Mercury Bay Area School students to build a second RV12
The Mercury Bay Student Aviation Trust is
gaining momentum.
The aim of the trust is to ensure Mercury
Bay Area School will have a sustainable
aviation engineering programme to offer
students and also to allow the students
participating in the programme the
opportunity to obtain a pilot’s licence at a
reduced rate.
The trust was born out of the huge
interest in the VANS RV12 light aircraft
(registered ZK-MBA) the school built last
year.
A neglected Coot amphibious aeroplane
was donated to the trust by Martin
Farrand at the beginning of this year
and MBAS students are at the moment,
under the guidance of a group of
community mentors, restoring the plane.
Restoration of the Coot will,
however, for a while be put on hold.
Whitianga’s Jim Evans, the driving force
behind the trust and owner of ZK-MBA,
and three friends attended the famous
Oshkosh Air Show in the USA earlier this
year and en route visited the VANS factory
in Aurora, Oregon. During the visit Jim’s
friend, Allan Kearney from Auckland
decided to buy another RV12 kitset and
asked the trust to build plane for him.
Back home Jim and the other trustees of the
trust agreed a price with Allan and building
the new RV12 will now take priority.
“By buying an aeroplane, Allan easily won
the prize for spending the most money
during our trip,” Jim said.
The trust will use the proceeds from
building the new RV12 to pay some of the
costs associated with the restoration of the
Coot. Hopefully the Coot will be sold for
a healthy profit and that money, Jim said,
will be used to either buy another plane to
build or restore, or to help those students
who want to learn to fly.
ZK-MBA is at the moment being
leased by the Mercury Bay Aero Club
and available to anyone who would like
to obtain a pilot’s licence at a competitive
hourly rate.
The trust isn’t sitting idle with other
activities to build a fund that can
subsidise students wanting to learn to fly.
For example, Kyla McLean, a Year 12
MBAS student, published a book about
the building of ZK-MBA which is for sale,
with all the proceeds going to the trust.
ZK-MBA has also generated a significant
amount of attention, both in New Zealand
and overseas. A few weekends ago a group
of Flying Rotarians (a special interest
group within the Rotary movement) visited
Whitianga and took some time out to look
at the plane. They were so impressed with
what they saw that they donated $500
to the trust, with another $500 donated
by Margaret Armstrong, the wife of the
president of the group.
A weekly log of the activities of the
students participating in the MBAS
aviation engineering programme is emailed
to a great number of people, mostly in New
Zealand, but also overseas. “Some of the
overseas recipients of the log email it on
to a much wider audience, all around the
world,” said Jim.
The trust needs more members of the
community to work with the MBAS
students as mentors. “If there are any
retired aviation engineers out there,
we would love to hear from you,” Jim said.
“It’s a highly enjoyable experience, there’s
a lot of banter going on. And seeing how
the students develop and broaden their
skills, that’s priceless.”
Two of the students who were involved
in the building of ZK-MBA have decided
to embark on aviation engineering careers.
One was accepted the beginning of this
year into the New Zealand Air Force and
the other has started an apprenticeship with
a Hamilton based aircraft company.
Kyla’s book is available from The
Informer’s offices or by emailing
bossonk@mbas.co.nz. The cost is $30.
The Flying Rotarians looking at ZK-MBA during their visit to
Whitianga a few weekends ago.
News from the i-Site
with Cara Jordan - manager of the Whitianga i-Site
As the weather warms (hopefully)
more of our visitors are out looking for
adventure activities. The Coromandel is
a paradise for those seeking to get away
from it all by land, sea or air. Destination
Coromandel has recently partnered with
GoPro to promote adventure on The
Coromandel and showcase what our area
has to offer. The intention is that this will
be picked up in the USA by social media
followers and generate more visitors to
our region. To watch the footage online
go to http://www.thecoromandel.com/
index.cfm/go-pro/
If the GoPro video inspires you, there
are some local adventures coming up over
the weekend of 28 - 30 November. Dive
Zone Whitianga plays host to the annual
Dive Festival which offers a weekend of
diving adventures, fun competitions and
social events. And Thunder Beach returns
to town, so bike enthusiasts can enjoy New
Zealand’s largest summer motorcycle
rally and take on the Coromandel Loop.
With planning for school holidays on
the horizon, the i-SITE will have a school
holiday brochure packed with specials
and deals. We want to promote what
The Coromandel has to offer for family
holidays and kid’s adventures. In time
for the holidays we will also be stocking
a limited range of Coromandel branded
T-shirts and bags, so come in and browse.
Lastly tickets for the Waterways
Concert featuring Heart, Foreigner and
Three Dog Night on 25 January are still
selling fast, so pop in and buy yours if you
are planning on attending.
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Page 10
Spring Festival celebrations
at Kuaotunu Rudolf Steiner
Kindergarten
Flax weaving in Tairua
On Sunday 9 November the Kuaotunu Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten celebrated the
approach of summer with their annual Spring Festival. The children and parents
enjoyed the beautiful weather, dancing around the spring pole to the music of violin
and drum.
Equine Barefoot
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Holistic barefoot trimmer looking to
start a 5 weekly run in your area.
Contact Emily on 021 027 19423
Or at
healthy.hoofed.horse@gmail.com
Natural Hoof, Healthy Horse!
On Saturday 27 September and Saturday 8 November the well-known Whitianga
flax weaving trio of Joanne Makiha, Helena James and Douglas Collier held two
beginners flax weaving classes in Tairua. “Both days were great,” said Joanne.
“Helena, Douglas and myself just love running these classes. We have met so many
people and hearing them giggling and laugh is just the way we like it.”
The trio have now started to hold more advanced classes in the wider Mercury Bay
area as well, teaching students to how dye and to create a pikau (backpack) or a
paki (flax cape). Watch this space for information on future classes.
Pictured are the trio with some of their Tairua students and their creations.
KUAOTUNU
RUDOLF STEINER KINDERGARTEN
10 Year Anniversary Celebration
11am on Sunday 30th November 2014
Past & present children & parents & all the
wonderful people that have helped to establish our
beautiful Kindergarten are warmly
invited to join us for our 10 year
Anniversary Celebration.
Come & enjoy a morning of music, shared food &
performances with us.
1 Irishtown Road, Kuaotunu
WhitiIT
Local & Friendly IT/Computer Support
Call Ethan Lessiter:
0800 FIX 4 ME
(0800 349 4 63)
support@WhitiIT.co.nz
WHITIANGA
SALES AND SERVICE
EVERYTHING TV
Page 11
23 November - International Day of Words
By Len Salt
I'm a maker of ballads right pretty
I write ‘em right here in the street
You can buy them all over the city
Yours for a penny a sheet
I'm a wordpecker out of the printers
Out of the dens of Gin Lane
I'll write up a scene on a counter
Confessions and sins in the main
Boys, confession and sins in the main
One of my favourite “wordsmiths” is Mark
Knopfler. His song “Madam Genevas”
tells of a time when most of the worlds’
population could not read or write.
We’ve come a long way since then.
23 November will be the International Day
of Words and as the first New Zealand
member of the Cesar Egido Serrano
Foundation, I am honoured to have been
asked to be the official “Ambassador of the
Word” for this country.
The day is the initiative of the
Foundation, which has its headquarters
Len Salt, author of this feature and New Zealand “Ambassador of the Word.”
at the Museo de la Palabra (Museum
of the Word) in Quero, Spain.
Inside the museum, “The word is the
bond of humanity" is carved into a
large stone weighing over 1,000kg.
Founder and president of the Foundation,
César Egido Serrano, is quoted as
saying, “I am convinced that the twenty
first century is an era of understanding.
The word has to be the bond of humanity
and the only way to resolve conflicts has to
be dialogue. This is in the hands of future
generations, who in turn will become our
future leaders.”
The Day of Words is celebrated this year
with a global “Flash Fiction” competition
which carries a first prize of US$20,000.
The aim is to raise awareness of the
need for dialogue as a fundamental tool
for the eradication of all violence. You
don’t have to be a writer to get involved.
So long as you share a fundamental belief
in the power of words to promote peaceful
dialogue, you are welcome to participate in
the celebrations.
Throughout history words have been
used to promote peaceful resolution of
conflicts wherever possible. Freedom
of speech is a fundamental right which
is valued by democracies and feared by
dictators. Oscar nominated movie “The
Book Thief” is based on the book burnings
of the Nazi era in Europe leading up to the
Second World War. Some of the world’s
greatest scientists, writers, poets and
philosophers were targeted by the Nazis
and their books burned by the thousands.
German author Heinrich Heine, whose
work was also burned, wrote the famous
admonition, “Where they burn books,
they will in the end also burn people.”
A personal hero of mine is Malala
Yousafzai who, at the age of fourteen, was
shot by the Taliban in 2012 for promoting
the rights of girls to go to school in Pakistan.
Far from silencing her, Malala recovered
and went on to become a joint winner of
the Nobel Peace Prize, helping to spread
her message around the world. Ironically,
the Islamic universities of the Middle
East were some of the first and finest
centres of learning known to history. Those
contributions have been overshadowed by
the actions of extremists in trying to control
what people, particularly girls and women,
are allowed to read and to learn.
Words equal power. The power to
start wars and the power to end them.
The power to spread hate and dissent,
but also the power to understand, question,
debate and change.
The International Day of Words hopes
to re-connect people across the globe with
the vision that dialogue, negotiation and
compromise should be the first stop on the
way to peaceful co-existence, not the last
one after the violence and bloodshed has
achieved nothing but sorrow.
For
more
information
go
to
www.dayofwords.com/en.
AutoCare Whitianga Limited Trading As
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Page 12
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PROPERTY
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Here are 5 great reasons to choose Harcourts
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Call our duty agent on 07 866 4981 today!
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HARCOURTS - WE’RE WHERE YOU ARE WE’RE YOUR LOCALS!
Page 13
Museum Musings
with Richard Gates
The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of
the eleventh month in 1918 is a signal
event in our nation’s history. It was at
that time, day, month and year that Great
Britain, France and Germany signed the
armistice in a railway carriage in the
forest of Compiègne, northern France
and ended the 1914/18 Great War.
A war in which New Zealand suffered
staggering losses.
To mark the anniversary of this early
20th century “war to end all wars,” the
Mercury Bay Museum has recently
opened a commemorative display in
which the sacrifice of young servicemen
from the Mercury Bay area is honoured.
It features display cases of fascinating
memorabilia,
equipment,
artifacts
and medals. A large video screen
continuously shows high definition
reproductions of photographs taken
in the Middle-East, Gallipoli and the
Western Front during the war - where
Kiwi's fought and died.
Also displayed are poignant letters and
diaries kindly donated by descendants
of those courageous men who served
between 1914 and 1918. A placard lists
the names of the 35 Mercury Bay men
who lost their lives fighting for King and
Country during the Great War. Many of
these names will be familiar.
100,444 Kiwi servicemen and nurses,
both Pakeha and Maori, served during
the war, 10 per cent of New Zealand's
total population. Of those 16,697 were
killed and 41,317 wounded. A casualty
rate of 58 per cent. Given the then sparse
population between Kuaotunu and
Whenuakite, the loss of 35 young local
men was a tragedy that affected all in the
community. Those scars never fade.
assembling much of the memorabilia
and artifacts for display are appreciated.
Thanks are also due to John Henson for
his professional design of the display and
Barry Madden, carpenter par excellence.
Finally, on behalf of the Museum
Trust Board, appreciative thanks are
due to museum curator Ron Morgan, his
assistant Shenagh Gleeson and museum
volunteers. Collectively they put in long
hours of research to ensure the Great
War display is historically accurate in all
facets.
“At the going down of the sun and in the
morning we will remember them.”
The Museum welcomes descendants of
those who fought in the Great War to
view the display as well as local and out
of town visitors.
Many
people
were
involved
in
assembling
this
excellent
commemorative display. The museum's
thanks go to the Mercury Bay Returned
Services Association and the Mercury
Bay Business Association for their
financial support. To The Warehouse
grateful thanks for donating the high
definition TV screen.
To Heather Meikle and Tony Pilmer
of the Mercury Bay Historical Society,
your dedication and outstanding work
in assisting in the acquisition and
Heather Meikle of the Mercury Bay Historical Society on Armistice Day
(11 November last week) just after the formal opening of the Mercury Bay Museum’s
new World War One display. Heather had, fittingly, the honour of cutting the ribbon.
Tile & Grout restoration work
including cleaning, repair work
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Shower glass/glass cleaning/treatment
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Page 14
Whitianga’s HAMR Home Building
Contractors on top in House of
the Year awards
BUILDING CONTRACTOR
Quality workmanship guaranteed
Design-Build or Your Plan
Whitianga’s HAMR Home Building Contractors was last Saturday evening announced
as the New Zealand-wide category winner for houses between $600,000 and $1 million
in the Registered Master Builders 2014 House of the Year awards. They received the
award for an exceptional house in Whitianga’s Centennial Drive (pictured).
They were up against ten other regional finalists in taking out the title.
“We are overwhelmed with the achievement,” said Richard Warwick, owner of HAMR
Home Building Contractors. “It’s only our second year of entering the awards and it
was completely unexpected. It’s a team effort, though and I would like to thank all our
staff, suppliers and subcontractors. Without them we would never have been able to
achieve this.”
Alterations & Maintenance
Now available for more work in all areas
Contact Bernie on any of the following
Mob 0274 946 019 Ph 866 4877 Fax 866 4879
Email: VeeBeeWhitianga@xtra.co.nz
Kitchens Bathrooms WardroBes Furniture shopFitting Custom Renovations or neW Builds
17 Coghill Street, Whitianga. Phone 07 866 4513,
tony@dimax.co.nz. www.dimax.co.nz
WHITIANGA ELECTRICAL & REFRIGERATION
SERVICE
Page 15
What’s On the next few weeks
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Contact Carol Harker: 866 4111 or 027 22 66 289
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WHITIANGA
Page 16
Op-Shops
At Social Services, 2 Cook Drive, Whitianga. Open Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 4:30pm.
Social Services Op-Shop, Coghill Street (west of Albert Street), Whitianga. Open Tuesday to Saturday,
9:00am - 1:00pm.
The Church Op-Shop, at St Andrews by the Sea Community Church, Owen Street, Whitianga.
Open Thursday to Saturday 8:30am - 12:30pm.
St John Op-Shop, Coghill Street (east of Albert Street), Whitianga. Open Tuesday to Saturday,
10:00am - 4:00pm. Phone 869 5416. Every first Saturday of the month a special promotion.
Free Community Meals
At St Andrews by the Sea Community Church, Albert Street, Whitianga. Phone St Andrews on 867 1102
or email mjpetersen@xtra.co.nz for more information.
Mercury Bay Community Bus
Available for transport to hospital, specialist or health related appointments outside of the Whitianga area.
Phone 866 4993 for information and bookings.
“Whitianga Movers and Losers” (the Old WW’s)
Wednesdays 5:00pm - 6:00pm at St Peters Anglican Church, Dundas St, Whitianga. $2 donation
(to cover cost of room rent). We promote a slow, steady weight loss based on eating well, nourishing foods
and moving more - towards maintaining our our ideal weight and optimal health. New members always
welcome.
Whitianga Tramping Group
Tramps every second Sunday. All welcome. Phone Bev on 869 5457 or Deidre on (021) 101 2388 for
more information.
Whitianga Senior Citizens Club
Meet Mondays in the Whitianga Town Hall, 1:00pm - 4:00pm. Bowls, scrabble, card games, housie etc.
Afternoon tea, 55 plus age group. Contact Pam Phillips (president) 866 5908 for more information.
Bridge Clubs
Mercury Bay Contract Bridge Club meets every Wednesday. Hahei Bridge Club meets every Tuesday.
Phone Anne Knowles on 866 5686 for more information.
Whitianga Art Group
Meet every Thursday and Friday at the Art Centre in School Road, Whitianga. New members welcome.
Phone Heather on 866 4474 or Maryanne on 866 4099 for more information.
SeniorNet Whitianga Incorporated
Classes held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at various times. We give older adults an opportunity to
demistify their computers and to learn more about new communications and information technology.
Contact Lorna Russell on 866 4215 for more information or to join.
Mercury Bay Creative Fibre Group
Spinning, weaving, dyeing, everything to do with fibre. Meet the first and third Wednesday of every month
from 10:00am - 2:00pm at the Whitianga Town Hall. Phone Betty on 867 1233 for more information.
Te Reo Maori Classes
Every Thursday at 6:00pm at the Mercury Bay Community Boardroom, 10 Monk Street, Whitianga
(behind the TCDC offices). All levels welcome. Cost - koha. Bring a plate to share.
Whitianga Probus Club
Meet on the fourth Monday of every month at the Mercury Bay Bowling Club, 92 Cook Drive, Whitianga.
Friendly club for seniors. Visitors welcome. Phone Arnold or Vivienne Leigh on (07) 869 5995 for more
information.
Whitianga Toy Library
Isabella Street (off Coghill St), Whitianga. Open Tuesday 4pm - 6:30pm and Friday 10am - 12.30pm.
New members welcome.
Youth Space (Whitianga Social Services)
Corner of Bryce Street and Cook Drive, Whitianga. Wednesdays after school - kayaking/outdoors
(for 12 - 18 year olds). Thursdays after school - fitness for 16 year olds plus. Fridays after school indoor activities (open age). Phone 866 4472 for more information.
“Absolutely Fabulous” by the Mercury Bay Players
Thursday 20 - Saturday 22 November at the Mercury Bay Club, Cook Drive, Whitianga. With comperes
Abby Lawrence as Patsy and Karen Carroll as Edina and an absolutely fabulous cast of local artists.
Starts at 7:30. Free admission.
Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club Troy Wheeler Contracting Icebreaker Tournament
Saturday 22 November. Cash prizes for snapper, trevally, kingfish and hapuku and $1,500 cash for the fish
closest to the average weight. More information at www.gamebase.co.nz.
Dive Zone Dive Festival
Friday 28 - Sunday 30 November in Whitianga. Includes an underwater photo competition, treasure hunts,
scuba olympics, and dinner and dancing at Salt Restaurant and Bar. See www.divefestival.co.nz for more
information.
Thunder Beach 2014
Saturday 29 - Sunday 30 November. Includes Metzeler Show and Shine and parade through Whitianga.
More information at www.thunderbeach.co.nz.
Norther Region Flying Competition
Friday 28 - Sunday 30 November at the Whitianga Aerodrome. Including precision flying, aerobatics,
life raft dropping, formation flying and streamer cutting.
Weekly Church Services
Mercury Bay Co-operating Parish
St Andrews by the Sea Community Church, 9:30am every Sunday worship service and kids friendly Bible
sessions with Rev Mary Petersen, Albert St, Whitianga.
Anglican Services
St Peter the Fisherman, 9:30am Sunday services. All are welcome, Dundas St, Whitianga.
Crossroad Encounter Fellowship
10:00am Sundays, cnr Joan Gaskell Drive and Cook Drive, Whitianga.
St Patrick’s Catholic Church
Weekend Mass Saturday 5:30pm and Sunday 8.30am, Monday - Friday 9:00am (except Tuesday no Mass,
Wednesday 12:00 noon). Tairua Sunday 10:30am, Tuesday 9:00am, tel 866 2189.
Whitianga Baptist Church
10:00am every Sunday, children’s programme, 112 Cook Drive, Whitianga, tel 866 4027.
C3 Whitianga
10:30am every Sunday, children’s programme, 23 Coghill St, Whitianga,
email info@c3whitianga.org.nz.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
Meet on Sundays 10:00am - 11:30am in the Mercury Bay Community
Boardroom (at the back of TCDC’s offices at 10 Monk Street, Whitianga).
Children’s programme. Phone 021 277 2126 for more information.
Seventh Day Adventists
Home study group. Phone Laurie/Lois on 866 2808 for more information.
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Indonesian children to benefit from Tairua’s Paddle for Humanity
Senior students at Tairua School are
learning first-hand about the huge
difference they can make to the lives
of children in poorer countries with a
humanitarian charity event that’s also a lot
of fun.
Paddle for Humanity on 29 November
is a fundraiser organised by Tairua
School’s student leaders, which brings
together people to paddle any manner of
craft across Tairua harbour for a small
registration fee. For those that prefer to
stay out of the water, a walk for humanity
takes participants around the harbour as an
alternative.
Registrations are taken from 12:30pm
at the reserve opposite the Tairua Surf
Club on Paku Drive before paddlers and
walkers head wither over water or land to
the school for live music, a prize giving,
sausage sizzle and BYO picnic.
A registration fee of $5 and raffles helped
the school previously to raise thousands
of dollars to rebuild a school in Masokut
village, Indonesia, which was all but
wiped out by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake
and subsequent tsunami in 2010.
Houses, crops, peoples livelihood’s and the
local school were obliterated by the wave
and since then the school was reopened
with the most limited of resources
This will be the fourth Paddle for
Humanity event, which was started by a
group of senior students at Tairua School
as part of an enquiry into connecting to
communities far away from their world.
Says
Principal
Brendon
Finn,
“We sat down together and discussed what
it means to be a global citizen and how
the students thought they would like to
make a difference to other people outside
of their own circle of friends, their own
community.”
Many of the students like surfing and as
they looked into selfless New Zealanders
who had done great things for others,
the name Dave Jenkins, who founded
Surf Aid International, came up. Surf Aid
International is a non-profit humanitarian
organisation that works to improve the
health and self-reliance of people in
isolated regions where surfers travel.
The money raised through this year’s
Paddle for Humanity event will deliver
life-changing improvements to remote
corners of Indonesia through Surf
Aid International and Friends of East
Indonesia, a local humanitarian charity
started by Tairua builder Ed Eliot whose
son Mitchell was among the first group of
students to organise the fundraiser.
Ed has just returned from West
Timor where his charity is installing
a water filtration unit that will supply
uncontaminated drinking water to between
1,500 and 2,000 school children. It has
been set up so that water will also be sold
to visiting surfers and tourists, therefore
creating a self-sustaining supply.
Friends of East Indonesia also provided
new text books to schools and sanitising
stations outside classrooms to help with
disease prevention. Ed says he is inspired
by the work of Surf Aid International,
which is now a huge charitable organisation
dealing in tens of thousands of dollars,
Ed Eliot, Friends of East Indonesia charity founder, talks with Tairua School
student leaders about how Paddle for Humanity will help Indonesian children.
but he has also been buoyed by the support
of donors who see what a small, grassroots
charity like Friends of East Indonesia can
achieve with very little.
“We’re aiming to get into another ten
schools where there are probably high
levels of disease and malaria. You see the
tiny little graves and it brings it home,
the first birthday is the biggest birthday
because getting to age one is a big event
there.”
Tairua students embraced the fundraiser
as part of the school’s Global Citizenship
programme - a concept that Mr Finn says
was introduced into the school curriculum
For more
information and
photo’s visit our
website
to meet the changing needs of society.
“Our curriculum requires the students
to make sense of the world around them
and encourages learning opportunities
outside the classroom in their immediate,
national
and
global
environment.
So getting online and researching with
connections around the world is part of
projects they work on.”
Student leader Vita Rowe-Smith says
the students were inspired to hear firsthand about the work that Ed Eliot is doing.
“We talked with Ed about what he’s doing
and wanted to support his charity as much
as we can.”
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Ph/Fax 07 866 4643
If you come here for a rest, you deserve a decent sleep
Page 17
3
1 95
4
6 2 87
Sudoku
Fishing Report with Alan Proctor
Sponsored by H&M Pascoe Tel 0274 852 046
Puzzle 611
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Tel no: ___________________________________________________________
Fill in the boxes using the numbers 1 to 9. Every row and column, and
every group of nine boxes inside the thick lines, must contain each
number only once. Deliver or mail your entry to The Mercury Bay Informer,
14 Monk St, Whitianga or PO Box 426, Whitianga, to reach us by 4:00pm
Friday each week. The weekly prize is one free Current Release from
Civic Video, Whitianga. The winner must please claim his/her prize from
Civic Video directly.
Reasonably pleasant conditions under a
clear sky the weekend before last gave
way to cold, blustery showers during the
week and unfortunately all this activity
is coming up from the deep south.
For the next month or so, fishers will
be praying for a couple of decent north
easterly blows, which is the direction
from which the warmer water we are
looking for, will come. With water temps
still hovering around 15.5 degrees,
the sou’westers we are being battered
with are doing nothing to help.
While this is great news for beach
property owners battling with nature to
protect their eroding land and we haven’t
yet had cause to set off every member of
the public with an opinion on where the
overflow of boat trailer parking should
take place, it does have an effect on
the non-resident property owners who
sometimes delay their visits to town
if they are doubtful of good fishing,
but will rush to town at every opportunity
in the height of the fishing season
especially when billfish and larger tuna
varieties are present.
Looking at the present, not too much
has changed since last week with the
tap definitely turned down, although,
fortunately, not right off. Fishers in
the Puddle who were having a ball just
several weeks ago are now finding it a
little hit and miss, although one regularly
successful angler is happy to share some
Last week’s solution
Last week’s winner - Margaret Henry
tips. With plenty of sign on the fish
finder, if you are not getting any action,
do not be afraid to move around a little.
The outgoing tide in 10 - 25 m will put
you in about the right place at about the
right time and while he is doing well
on soft baits, squid is the smelly bait of
choice at this time of year.
Some deep sea bottom fishing during
the weekend before last proved fruitful
for at least a couple of crews, with one
hapuku topping 20kg on the scales.
The location of the areas currently
holding hapuku tends to be a closely
guarded secret as the adult of this species
is largely territorial and when lots of the
big ones are taken, it can be quite a while
before they are replaced by similar sized
fish. Hammering the same reef again and
again or stringing nets up that are likely
to catch most fish in a particular location
on these deep reefs is not very helpful.
So most guys that head out wide every
now and then for a few bottom fish will
justifiably keep their best spots a secret
for as long as possible.
Snapper fishing in and just outside
the Bay has been fairly hard work with
many trips resulting in just a few fish
and the more successful trips have had to
have been of longer duration. A by-catch
which includes gurnard will always put
a smile on your face and this has proved
the saving grace on a number of trips.
This Saturday, 22 November, is the
scheduled day for our first fishing
tournament of the season - the Troy
Wheeler
Contracting
Icebreaker
Tournament. Cash prizes for snapper,
trevally, kingfish and hapuku and $1,500
cash for the fish closest to the average
weight. With $3,000 up for grabs and
only a $25 entry fee, this is a great
tournament to start the season off and
everyone is welcome to enter.
If you don’t already belong to our
club, an extra $15 will buy you a day
membership. Entry forms are at our
club or on our
website www.
gamebase.co.nz.
Tight lines,
Alan
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Page 18
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Whitianga’s newest accountant on three years in the outback
It’s no secret that Mercury Bay is a
sought-after location for people retiring
or semi-retiring or embarking on a second
chapter of their lives. The result is some
people with very interesting experiences
living in the local community.
No exception is new Whitianga
accountant Graeme Matthews and his
wife Manisha, who permanently made
Mercury Bay their home earlier this year.
Graeme was for many years the chief
financial officer of Ports of Auckland,
the family all too often escaping to their
holiday home in Centennial Heights.
Four years ago, with the kids all doing
their own thing, including a daughter
living in Australia, Graeme and Manisha
thought it was time to experience life
across the Tasman. They sold up in
Auckland and ended up in a town called
Clermont, three hours inland from
the Queensland coast and by road not
even halfway to the city of Longreach,
which, in turn, is not even halfway to the
Queensland/Northern Territory border.
“I took a three year contract with
the Isaac Regional Council [IRC],”
Graeme said. “Initially I had to manage
the Council’s commercial assets, but they
were going through a lot of restructuring
and I ended up being caretaker CFO.
Included in what I had to do was a lot
of troubleshooting, sorting out the fleet,
airports, cattle yards, things like that.
“The scale of things in outback
Australia is just immense. IRC covers
an area almost as big as the state of
Tasmania, but the permanent population
is under 25,000 people. The economy
is based on coal, cattle and cotton.
The scale of the coal mining is difficult
to comprehend. Virtually the entire area
sits on two coal seams. There are mines,
open cast and underground, everywhere.
An Indian company is busy developing
their own mine for all the coal to be
exported to India. They’re even building
their own railway line from the mine to
the coast.
“Around Clermont were two mines.
When the industry was at its peak in
2011, there were 24 charter flights every
week with mine workers flying in and
out.”
As is expected, Graeme has many
interesting stories to tell. A few of them
stand out.
“One day,” he said (as all good
stories are supposed to start), “I had to
do some work in St Lawrence on the
coast, halfway between Rockhampton
and Mackay. It’s a really small place,
a railway line and a pub. At the end of the
day I popped into the pub for a glass of
Chardonnay. I placed my order and there
was this confusing silence. And then
the barman told me they don’t actually
stock wine. So, I settled for a XXXX
beer, which the barman promptly handed
to me out of a chilly bin. It turned out
that the chest freezer, where the beers
are normally being kept, was broken.
At least my beer was cold.”
And then there is the story of the
cultural centre in Capella, a town with
about 800 residents 45 minutes southeast of Clermont and 320km west of
Rockhampton. “Really in the middle
of nowhere,” Graeme said. “But with
this massive multi-million dollar in
and outdoor cultural centre. I mean, the
entire town can almost fit into the main
auditorium. One cannot help to ask,
why on earth was the centre built there?
“They did succeed to attract class acts,
though. Once we went to see famous
American soul group The Drifters
perform. There weren’t even 40 people in
the audience. One of the group members
looked at the audience and asked,
‘Did you all come in one car?’
“One time, when our son in London
came to visit us, we went to watch
a performance by this group of
Irish musicians. It was one time the
auditorium was packed out. But my
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son was stunned, because he knew the
group. They used to perform in London
in front of sell-out audiences, night after
night. And here we were, watching them
in this state of the art facility in this tiny
town in the Aussie outback.”
Clermont is only an hour east of
the Queensland Sapphire Gemfields.
“It’s possible for anyone to get a
permit and fossick for sapphires in
the gemfields,” Graeme said. He then
talked about the Star of Queensland,
the world’s biggest black sapphire that
was found outside Rubyvale, in the heart
of the gemfields. “Its first owner actually
used it for a doorstop for more than a
decade. I’ve heard it’s now worth more
than 80 million dollars.”
So, what brought Graeme and
Manisha to Mercury Bay? “We have the
house in Whitianga,” Graeme answered.
“And look, after three years in the Aussie
outback, Mercury Bay is really where
we wanted to be. I’m looking forward to
the challenge of getting my accountancy
practice off the ground. Instead of
helping a local council to count cattle
and cars, I’m going to help people to
count money.
“And Mercury Bay has some
similarities with the Clermont area,”
he laughed. “Clermont has half the
amount of people, but the same number
of pubs.”
Graeme Matthews with his wife Manisha.
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Page 19
To the Editor
See page 2 for our requirements with regard to letters and contributions
Dear Editor - Referendum on a New Flag
I applaud John Chilwell for rubbishing the flag referendum.
If his idea of scrapping all flags is not a goer, I suggest proposing a simple sketch
of a herring - in red - to represent what the Government really intends by raising this
issue.
I doubt if many Kiwis would care enough about other nations’ flags to be able to
identify more than ten or so and I would not expect many of those nations to care
much what flag we fly either, but the flag can arouse positive nationalistic emotions
which distract people from anything negative the government is doing.
David Lynch
Mercury Bay
SeniorNet Update
with Mavis Hicks
The SeniorNet Christmas Social will
be held on Thursday 27 November at
2:00pm. The venue is the SeniorNet
Room at the Whitianga Community
Services Trust, 2 Cook Drive. I hope to
see our members there.
The committee has been planning the
schedule 2015, but there is still time
to put forward suggestions for classes.
This is your organisation and your
input is needed and important.
With summer almost here, families and
friends visiting and the usual Christmas
festivities, it’s a busy time. Still, there
is always time to make present lists.
There are so many interesting new
computer related items available now,
it’s difficult to choose. But for all the
non-SeniorNet readers, don’t forget
your senior family members and
friends like new techie toys as well.
Anything from a USB stick to a new
laptop, phone or even a PS4 plus games
(of course) could be a good item for
them on your list.
An interesting item in the news the oldest lady in Minnesota is 113
years old and she is staying active and
engaged with her new iPad. She has
joined Facebook and Facetime, but had
difficulty selecting her birthday date
to register. The oldest year available
was 1905, so she had to twist the truth
and say she was 99. She wrote and told
Facebook about the problem.
In the last month there have been
many warnings about security. If you
receive a call supposedly from the
bank and the caller gives you a phone
number to check back to them - beware!
It may be rerouted. Use your own bank
phone number to verify the call. There
have been warnings about apps created
overseas that have a programme that
allows invasion of devices. The warning
is not to download Apps unless they are
from your devices store.
Dear Editor - Scott’s Thoughts in The Informer of 11 November
The Mercury Bay Business Association is aware of the Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB)
extension opportunities for Whitianga and the huge potential it has to enhance our
town and grow business for this area.
According to the National Party’s pre-election announcement, Whitianga was
amongst a number of "potential target areas" for UFB by 2019. It is one of a few key
objectives of this Business Association to not only take us off the "potential" list,
but to have us firmly on the must do list by 2019 or earlier if possible.
With our MP Scott Simpson strongly supporting us as per the “Scott's Thoughts”
column in The Informer dated 11 November, this will help bolster our process.
As we all know Whitianga has grown significantly over the past two censuses
with over 22 per cent in the 2006 census and 16 per cent in the latest census and is
continuing to grow as we speak. The Mercury Bay Business Association is gearing
itself for this growth and thank our local MP Scott Simpson for his valued support of
the UFB opportunity that we as both a community and business members must strive
to achieve for this area to continue to flourish and grow.
Gary Fitzsimons - Chairman of the Mercury Bay Business Association
Whitianga
Yet another great Robinson
Road Seafood Party
Last Saturday the eighth annual Robinson Road Scallop and Seafood Party was held at the
Robinson Road, Whitianga property of Malcolm and Pauline Brown, better known for their
involvement in the Mercury Bay X-Ray machine fundraising project. More than 40 Robinson
Road residents and their friends and family attended what can easily be Whitianga’s biggest
pot luck (all seafood) block party.
Pauline is responsible for organising caps for each year’s party, this year she settled for a
canary yellow.
According to all who attended the party was, once again, a roaring success.
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Page 20
The Mercury Bay X-Ray machine
already proving its value
Peninsula Home Kills
SERVING THE WHOLE PENINSULA - 2011
Processing beef, sheep,
pigs & all game
Top quality
sausages, bacon,
ham & salami
With the Mercury Bay X-Ray machine now in operation for about six weeks, stories are starting
to circulate about the value the machine has for patients and their families who don’t have to
travel to Thames anymore to have X-Rays taken.
One such story is Elizabeth Till and her mother Cara (pictured outside the Mercury Bay
X-Ray facility). When Elizabeth started to feel unwell towards the end of September this year,
Dr Jeannie Hemmes of The Doctors Surgery in Whitianga referred her for a chest X-Ray to
check for pneumonia. Great was Cara’s surprise when she received a call from Val Elgie,
the radiographer operating the Mercury Bay machine, asking Elizabeth to come to the Mercury
Bay X-Ray facility in Coghill Street, Whitianga for her X-Ray. “It was such a relief not to go to
Thames,” Cara said. “Val was wonderful. She took such good care of Elizabeth. We had the
X-Ray taken in the morning and in the afternoon the doctor phoned with recommendations.”
According to Chris Rendle, chairman of the community trust that owns the Mercury Bay
X-Ray machine, the machine has taken about 200 X-Rays since it became operational.
There’s a relatively even split between X-Rays involving ACC and X-Rays requiring Waikato
District Health Board approval.
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Page 21
US Style Crossword
© The New York Times
ACROSS
Puzzle US 611
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Tel no: ___________________________________________________________
Go in the draw to win a weekend for two in Queenstown next winter (transport to
Auckland Airport, flights, accommodation and $500 spending money included).
Deliver or mail (or scan and email) your entry to The Mercury Bay Informer, 14 Monk
St, Whitianga or PO Box 426, Whitianga, to reach us by 6:00pm Sunday each
week. The winner will be notified by phone. No correspondence will be entered
into once the winner has been notified. Conditions apply.
DON’T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB
BY ANDREW J RIES / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ
1 Charged things
5 Actress Normand of the silents
10 Like some textbook publishers
14 Wee bit
18 Instruments with flared bells
20 Perfume with an accent in its name
21 Locker-room user
22 Motorola smartphone
23 Oscar winner who would make a lousy
anesthesiologist?
25 Spotlight
27 Who’s there?
28 Glove-box item
30 N.F.L. rarity
31 It’s faster than the blink of an eye: Abbr.
32 Scrubs wearers, for short
33 Punk rocker who would make a lousy grocer?
35 Milk dispenser
37 Bieber Fever, e.g.
38 Piano-playing cat, once
39 Horror author who would make a lousy
firefighter?
43 Fr. title
45 Cold
49 Red Baron, e.g.
50 Pitcher of milk?
52 “That feels goo-oo-ood”
54 Cosmetician ___ Laszlo
55 La Scala segment
56 Inclined
57 Action star who would make a lousy freerange farmer?
60 Singers do it
61 Historian’s interest
63 Smooths
64 Scholarship name
65 “The Hunger Games” and others
67 Theme park with a spherical landmark
68 Defeat decisively
69 Fiery
71 Jones of the original Stones
72 Contest winner’s feeling
73 Consumed
76 Bygone comic who would make a lousy
baker?
78 Work at
79 Byzantine emperor known as “The
Philosopher”
81 Like dollhouse furniture
82 French nobleman
83 Early eight-bit computer maker
85 Tom ___, big role in “The Purple Rose of
Cairo”
86 Blades that sound like an allergic reaction
88 Elapse
90 Cabaret pianist who would make a lousy
electrician?
92 The gamut
94 Dog-___
96 Where to learn to draw?
97 Lawyer who would make a lousy antiCommunist leader?
101 Electronic music’s Daft Punk, e.g.
102 Junior’s challenge, for short
106 Org. replaced by the N.R.C.
107 Elaborate
108 Set side by side
110 More than plump
112 Singer who would make a lousy mohel?
114 German title
115 Michael of “Arrested Development”
116 Bother
117 Feints
118 ___ of the earth
119 Helmeted god
120 Window’s counterpart
121 Word before or after lime
DOWN
1 John Wayne or Johnny Carson, by birth
2 Newspaper dept.
3 “Cape Fear” co-star
4 New England town official
5 Class ring, e.g.
6 Parliaments produce them
7 Air-conditioner fig.
8 Always, in verse
9 Reveals
10 God, with “the”
11 Genève’s lake
12 Toy holder
13 “Present”
14 Residents, eventually: Abbr.
15 Bonnie who sang “Nick of Time”
16 15-time All-Star shortstop Smith
17 Primp
19 Trig function
24 Cost for some plugs
26 Drifter outside a coffee shop?
29 Add one’s two cents about
33 Shocks
34 Sprint, e.g.
36 Con’s plan
37 Short-order sandwich
39 Deepest part
40 See 44-Down
41 “Can I leave now?”
42 Possessed
44 Big producer of
40-Down
46 Yearbook feature
47 “Picnic” playwright
48 “That ___ it!”
51 Immobilized, as one’s arm
53 Twain contemporary
56 Jerk
58 Summer setting in the Midwest: Abbr.
59 Cobbler’s aid
62 Wasn’t really
63 Fabulize
66 Annually
67 Fumble, say
68 Like some grins
69 Many authors have them: Abbr.
70 Horse halter
71 Osso ___
72 Supersmooth
74 Asseverate
75 Gossip
77 Barbecue fryer?
78 Elbow, maybe
80 Many boomers, now
84 Still snoozing, say
85 One way to learn
87 Farm homes
89 Caviar sources
91 Main source of aluminum
93 Neighbor of Chiapas
95 Modern name of Mare Mecca
97 Campaign setback
98 Grasp
99 The planets, now
100 Subject of many a Turner landscape
101 Golfer David
103 Terrif
104 Posed
105 “The Gondoliers” girl
108 Things aircraft carriers carry
109 With
111 Alpine land: Abbr.
113 ___ chi
NZ made beds - great quality, service and price
Page 22
Movember progress
UK Style Crossword © Lovatts Puzzles
Puzzle UK 611
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Tel no: ___________________________________________________________
Win a $6 Big Wednesday ticket. Deliver or mail (or scan and email) your entry
to The Mercury Bay Informer, 14 Monk St, Whitianga or PO Box 426,
Whitianga, to reach us by 6:00pm Sunday each week. The winner
must please claim his/her prize from the New World check out
manager directly before the Wednesday the week following the issue in
which he/she was announced the winner.
The Whitianga Lions’ Movember campaign is in full swing. A few of those who signed
up to grow mo’s during November came by The Informer’s offices the end of last
week to show what progress they’re making. From left to right - Erwin Penwarden
(campaign coordinator), Craig Scaman, Charlie Cunningham, Joe Whitham,
Sherwin Lee, Ernie Pitchfork, Alastair MacKenzie, John Pedersen and Derryck Tomalin.
Erwin said final judging will take place on 28 November at the Mercury Bay Club when
the owners of the best moustaches will strut their stuff on the catwalk. It promises
to be a very entertaining event and he encourages members of the public to come
along and enjoy the fun. A bucket will be passed around on the evening for those
who would like to financially support the campaign. People can also contribute to the
campaign by making a deposit into the Whitianga Lions bank account at Westpac,
account number 03-1578-0093244-01.
All the money raised will go to the Movember Foundation, a global initiative committed
to “changing the face of men’s health.”
ECO PLUMBING &
HEATING SOLUTIONS
T HE O DD J OB M AN
GARY VINCENT
No job too small.
Ph ROSS
027 444 7667
07 866 3374
oddjobman@slingshot.co.nz
ecoplumbing@hotmail.co.nz
07 866 0059
021 1466 074
ACROSS
1. Orders
5. Green gemstone
7. Reservoir
8. Insulin-deficient person
9. Alternate ones
12. Spanned
15. Char
19. Get free
21. Hollow out
22. Wild cat
23. Compass point
24. Abandoned
DOWN
1. Universe
2. Canadian leaf symbol
3. Artist’s naked models
4. Ice performer
5. Mocked
6. Go too far
10. Hawaiian dance
11. Peril
12. Receptacle
13. Charged particles
14. Carnival
15. Gentle wind
16. Deep blue pigment
17. Enlarge
18. Held for trial, on ...
19. Pitchers
20. Playful skip
Fuel delivered to your boat farm or business
Suppliers of • Stainless • Zinc • Galvanised
• nuts & bolts • screws
• fasteners
• nails
sealants and a range of oils.
1 Abrahamson Drive, Whitianga
Ph 07 866 2689 027 297 4299
Last week’s winner - Vicki Tomalin
WHITIANGA
SALES AND SERVICE
EVERYTHING TV
Page 23
champions and Mates
Classifieds & Public Notices Bowls
in Bowls
PUBLIC NOTICES
Join the team from United Travel Whitianga and Go Holidays
On Wed 26th November for our presentation on travelling to the
UK & Europe in 2015.
Hear about Villa stays & hotels, cruises and tours, car hire
and cycling and walking holidays,
Rsvp now to traveloptions@xtra.co.nz or phone 866 4397
BIBLICAL SEERS
INTENSIVE WORKSHOP
Speaker - Ian Johnson
Koha
Venue - St. Andrews By The Sea,
Whitianga.
Fri 21 November 7pm.
Sat 22 November 10am - 4pm.
Enquiries - John 07 869 5054.
WHITIANGA TOY LIBRARY
Isabella Street (off Coghill St)
Open Tuesday 4pm - 6:30pm
and
Friday 10am - 12.30pm.
New members welcome.
~Toys for Hire~
RADIO OPERATOR AND SKIPPER COURSES
VHF Radio Operator Course (over two nights)
Mon 24 and Wed 26 November, 17:30 - 20:30pm both nights. $95 pp.
Day Skipper (two full days)
Sat 29 and Sun 30 November,
09:00am - 16:30pm hrs both days. $190 pp.
Held at Whitianga Coastguard unit.
Course content caters from novice through advanced.
Contact Mat on 0274 762 651 or nauticalacademy@gmail.com
to book or for more info.
Pictured are Mercury Bay Bowling Club members Lynn Clifford and Doug Sargent who
are now the Thames Valley region mixed pairs 2-4-2 champions for the 2014/15 season.
Played at Thames on Monday and Tuesday 10 and 11 November, Lynn and Doug had to play four
games each day and overcome very strong opposition from teams throughout the Coromandel
Peninsula and Hauraki Plains to secure the title.
They will travel to Auckland in March next year to compete in the regional championships
against teams from the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Counties Manukau. Success at the regional
championships may well see them competing in the nationals later in the year.
The Mercury Bay Bowling Club also would like to invite members of the community to take
part in a series of fun days, called Mates in Bowls, with a view to attracting new members and
future bowlers.
For those who would like to take part in a non-contact sport, but enjoy friendly competition,
good exercise plenty of fresh air and meet new people, come along and try your skills.
Bowls are provided. All you need is flat soled shoes, mufti dress and $2 entry fee. Because of
the size of the bowls in hand, it is a sport probably suited to players 12 years and over, although
there are exceptions and with no upper age limit it can become a sport for life.
The next Mates in Bowls day is this Sunday 23 November starting at 1:00pm at the Club,
92 Cook Drive, Whitianga. For more information Phone Gwyn on 866 0291.
Classifieds & Public Notices
PUBLIC AUCTION
AGM
MERCURY BAY BOARS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB INC
Are holding their AGM on the 10th December at 6pm
at Campbells Steak ‘n Ale House, Whitianga.
Applications for officers now taken and
close 5pm the 5th December 2014.
All enquiries to Club Secretary
Nickie Tane 07 866 2678 or 027 378 5998.
Mercury Bay Pony Club
MBPC OPEN TWILIGHT SHOW JUMPING SERIES 2014
Wednesdays 19th and 26th November and 3rd December.
4.00pm start.
2 Rounds only per mount - due to time limit.
$5 per round.
$5 ground fee per horse for non members of MBPC. *NZEF Rules apply.
Burger and Drinks up for sale… YUM!
*Rider can do what rounds they feel comfortable.
*Please bring cash, pay on the night.
*Email mercurybayponyclub@gmail.com for more info
and if you will be attending!
PROGRAM as follows ClassHeights
1
30-60cm - Optimum Time
30-60cm - Speed
2
65-75cm - Speed
65-75cm - Jump off
3
80-90cm - Speed
80-90cm - Jump off
4
95cm-1m - Speed
95cm-1m - Jump Off
Page 24
SITUATIONS VACANT
HOUSEKEEPING STAFF WANTED AT THE ADMIRALTY LODGE
Must have prior cleaning experience in similar business, must be hardworking and
dependable, honest and able to work as a team.
Please apply in person at 69 Buffalo Beach Road, Whitianga.
07 866 0181
CINEMA HOLIDAY STAFF REQUIRED
Casual shifts on short notice over the holidays.
Applicants must be honest and reliable and
be able to pick up shifts at short notice.
Apply in person.
Contact Gisella to arrange a time.
Phone 021 111 5027.
Landing a spacecraft on a comet - we need to dream big dreams
By Alastair Brickell - Owner of Stargazers Astronomy Tours at Kuaotunu
Last week saw a never to be repeated
event in human history… the first
landing on a comet by a spacecraft.
The Rosetta mission to Comet 67P is an
absolute triumph of mathematics and
physics and has been avidly followed by
visitors to Stargazers Astronomy Tours at
Kuaotunu. This audacious mission by the
European Space Agency was launched
over ten years ago and was a seemingly
impossible attempt to rendezvous with a
speeding comet, follow it for a year and
even try and land a small spacecraft on
the comet itself.
Comets are small space objects which
have been described as dirty snowballs
or snowy dirtballs as they are composed
mainly of ice and a bit of cosmic dust that
formed at the same time as the planets
and sun and are a precious clue to the
formation of our solar system. As they
whip around the sun on their elliptical
orbits, they heat up and water and dust
shoot off them - leaving a trail of glowing
debris which we see as a beautiful tail
stretching thousands of kilometres
behind them.
In order to gain enough speed to catch
up with comet 67P, travelling at 17km
a second, Rosetta had to gain speed by
stealing some from Mars which it passed
by once and the Earth which it passed
by three times. This extra boost finally
paid off on 6 August when it caught up
with its target after a decade and sent
back stunning photos of the 4x2km
comet nucleus from only 10km away.
Previous missions to comets had only
dared to get within 600km to avoid
damage from the high speed dust.
As if that was not impressive enough,
Rosetta shot a small 100kg fridge-sized
lander, Philae, onto the comet’s surface
last week. As the comet has almost no
gravity (the lander only weighs one
gram on the comet’s surface) and due
to the malfunction of landing harpoons,
Philae was unable to stay attached
to the surface. It bounced two times,
shooting 1km above the surface and
finally settled under a cliff where sunlight
unfortunately could not adequately
recharge its solar batteries which are
now flat. However, Philae had already
completed 90 per cent of its scientific
observations and sent back detailed
photos of the weird surface structures of
the comet and may well wake up when
the comet approaches closer to the sun
in August 2015.
Amazingly there is a little piece of
New Zealand on the Rosetta spacecraft.
Auckland-based
company
Rakon
has supplied high tech quartz crystal
A photo taken by the Rosetta of the nucleus of comet 67P.
The photo was taken from only 10km away.
oscillators that have been used to the first time ever in a similar manner to
generate precisely timed radio signals a CAT scan for humans.
There can be few better examples of
sent from Rosetta, which travelled
through the comet and were received human vision coupled with calculus,
by the Philae lander on the other side physics and persistence to inspire the
as Rosetta travelled on its orbit around scientists of the future. We need to dream
the comet. This allowed the density and big dreams!
structure of a comet to be determined for
WANTED
HOUSE FOR
REMOVAL
WANTED
Please phone
(021) 027 45654
GOT a DEAD or ALIVE VEHICLE
$ $ $
Free removal,
cash paid
Peninsula wide
0800 227 3867
SITUATIONS VACANT
COROMANDEL OUTDOOR
LANGAUAGE CENTRE
Homestay Families
Due to an increase in numbers of
students wishing to come
to Whitianga,
the Coromandel Outdoor
Langauage Centre is looking for more
reliable homestay families, especially
for the January,
February and March period.
If you would like to learn more
about the homestay experience
and what is required,
please contact
Sandy on 866 4802
during office hours.
SHIPPING CONTAINER TO BUY,
must be watertight. Ph: 021 902 051
SITUATIONS VACANT
CLEANER/RELIEF MANAGER
We are looking for a cleaner who has an interest in the
hospitality industry and/or commercial area of cleaning.
Must be able to clean modern furnished homes and
motel rooms to a high standard and able to be in charge of other cleaners.
Hours vary between 20 to 30 hours a week with occasions when it
may be more in the peak areas, but this is not a seasonal job and we are
looking for somebody long term who is fit and willing to work hard.
Weekend hours do apply.
Good rates of pay to the right person with bonuses.
There is also the opportunity to learn the day to day running of a
small motel to become our relief manager throughout the year.
Full training will be given, but you must have computer skills
and be customer focused.
Own cell phone and full driver’s licence essential.
You can contact us on cell 021 186 6750 for an interview.
Or email your CV to peewee.raewyn@gmail.com.
SALES ASSISTANT REQUIRED
Shop & yard sales
Full car licence
Physically fit
Forklift truck experience preferable
Ability to operate Kubota FE loader
Please send CVs to
Bulk Landscaping Supplies
(Mercury Bay) Limited
or phone (021) 543 723 for more
information on the position.
A position is available for an
experienced truck driver/digger
operator to work in the
Mercury Bay area.
HT licence is essential.
To apply send CV to
donovan.contractors.nz@gmail.com
Mercury Bay Area School
-Middle Years Teacher
Middle Years (Y7) – Fixed Term (2015) position
Mercury Bay Area School, Whitianga.
Due to roll growth in our Middle Years (7/8), we have a fixed
term teaching vacancy for the 2015 academic year. The successful
candidate will be an enthusiastic and motivated NZ registered
teachers,
, committed to raising student achievement through a
sound knowledge and understanding of assessment for learning
practices. Please state other strengths.
Applications can be made to the Principal, Mercury Bay Area
School, South Highway Whitianga or emailed to
john.wright@mbas.ac.nz and must be received no later than
4pm on Wednesday 26 November, 2015
Page 25
FOR SALE
HOME BREW SUPPLIES
Join our discount club.
Mercury Bay Pharmacy
POLES, Do you need S.E.D
H5 poles for retaining or house
foundations? Timber and poles all
lengths available.
Oriental trellis made to order.
MB Timber & Fencing Supplies
225 South Highway
Ph: (07) 866 2457
BEER FRIDGE, offers.
Ph: 866 5908
OFF ROADER 1300 FORD
ESCORT MOTOR, $1,400 ono.
Ph: 866 3509
LAZYBOY, chair with feet rest,
very good condition, $175 ono.
Ph: 866 5516
WORK WANTED
MACROCARPA TIMBER SLABS,
for table tops plus, 6x2 - 8x4 beams
5m lengths. Ph: 07 866 3734
Electric Hospital Bed
With Eclipse 11 mattress overlay
system, monkey hoist, alternating
pressure cushion and adjustable
height chair and over bed table on
wheels.
The Eclipse 11 Mattress overlay
system is a high quality alternating air
mattress overlay system.
Designed for medium to high pressure
risk and allowing for greater relief and
comfort.
Manufactured by Park House
Healthcare, a specialist pressure care
manufacturer. All components are fully
serviceable and replaceable.
All in excellent condition and easy to
operate.
Cost Approx. $9,000 selling for $3,000.
Ph 866 5516 or text 027 650 4881.
ACCOMMODATION WANTED
CATTERY
HOUSE WANTED,
Christmas period, approximately
Dec 23 - Jan 7, careful family group.
Ph: 09 278 2088 or 021 350 599
KRISTIN’S
BOARDING CATTERY
Vet nurse, warm, clean,
secure, outdoor run.
Phone 866 4724.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
WANTED IN WHITIANGA
1-2 bedroom place for
27th Dec to 11th Jan.
Quiet, tidy place for
non-party people.
Call Peace 027 292 9699.
CHURCH SERVICES
ANGLICAN
SERVICES
BOAT FOR SALE
WE NEED YOUR BOAT NOW!!!
Sharyn Clark
For Piano
Tuning, Repairs and Appraisals
THANK YOU
TIDES CAFÉ
Mike and Janet would like to thank all our loyal customers and staff who have
supported us over the past six years and wish
Alan and Katrina Hill the very best in their new venture.
TO LET
SMALL OFFICE, Whitianga, upstairs, low rent. Ph: 021 255 2821
STORAGE SHEDS available, various sizes, reasonable rates. Dry and
secure. Ph: 07 866 5147
STORAGE SHEDS Whitianga Total Storage opposite Carters.
Ph: 0800 944 660
HELP, HELP, HELP
Permanent rentals urgently required NOW
Tenants: Rental list changing constantly,
Holiday rentals available. Call into office at
7 The Esplanade, by the wharf or phone
Robyn Turner 866 0098 or 027 550 0120
robyn.turner@bayleys.co.nz
Licensed under the REAA2008
URGENT! HOMES WANTED!
Long term & short term needed NOW!
Good tenants waiting for good homes.
Ask for an appraisal on your property.
Phone Beth on 021 153 8593.
BETH EVANS
A.R.EI.N.Z Property Manager
Call Krissie Brand
Licensed Property Manager with 13 years local experience
Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 Understanding the Coromandel Since 1960
WORK WANTED
HOUSE WASHING
Detergent Soft Wash,
Roof Clean/Treatment,
Window Cleaning.
Phone Russell Short on
866 2097 or 0273 602 937.
Tricky Trees
Pruning
Felling
Stump grinding
Firewood
Call Chris
Page 26
07 866 5824 or 027 273 4420
Long term & holiday. Free rental appraisals.
Landlords & Tenants, for all your rental requirements.
HEALTH SERVICES
•
•
•
•
THE BESS HANDZ
EMBROIDERED MONOGRAMS
Alterations, repairs, zip and hem
service. Ph: 866 5277
High window specialist.
Very competitive rates.
Phone Mike on 866 5778 or
(021) 395 778.
Enquiries Ph 869 5577
www.anglicanchurchwhitianga.co.nz
HUGE BOUNCY CASTLE,
from $130. Ph: 866 0038,
www.combatzone.co.nz
WORK WANTED
866 5984
027 498 4447
WINDOW CLEANING
ALL WELCOME
FOR HIRE
ILLNESS can benefit from
support of plants and nutrition.
Leanne Halliwell
0274 588 626 or
07 866 5899
Ron Cooke
Phone 867 5129 or 0274 485 089
Quality late model trailer boats
needed for sale on behalf!
We have buyers waiting!
Call the team at Whitianga Marine
Centre today on 867 1182 or come
in to 233 South Highway, Whitianga.
NATUROPATH
MEDICAL HERBALIST
Registered
2nd Hand Covers
HorseTransport
Saddlery
Cover Repairs
St. Peter the Fisherman
Dundas Street, Whitianga
Sunday Service: 9:30am
12FT SCORPION,
15hp Merc motor, only done 55
hours, on Sportline Marine trailer,
$6,000 ono. Ph: 866 5286
BOATS WANTED
FARRIER
Registered member
PTTG of NZ
•
•
•
•
Hedge maintenance
Crown reductions
Difficult removals
Chip waste to mulch
021 240 9909
WANTED !
Quality homes
for quality tenants.
VEHICLES FOR SALE
09 Toyota Hilux D/Cab, Canopy $29,900
04 Toyota Corolla Runx, Auto, Blue $6,900
03 Toyota Landcruiser VX, Auto $29,900
00 Toyota Hilux S/C F/Deck $9,800
99 Mazda Familia, Auto Sports $3,550
99 Mitsubishi Mirage Dingo H/B $3,900
98 Kea Equipment Trailer $1,950
97 Toyota Corolla GLXi HB $3,900
97 Nissan Pulsar, low kms, alloys $5,600
94 Toyota RAV 3 dr $4,900
19 Campbell Street, Whitianga www.coastalautos.co.nz
Sport Results (our thanks to the coaches, managers and administrators who provide us with the results)
WHITIANGA TOUCH ASSOCIATION
Wednesday 12 November
Smith & Sons v Amped (won by default), Taiao 6 v
Whitianga Cooper Tyres 5, K-Town Krew 6 v Just
Enuff 1, Whack City 0 v Dark Side 4, Rhythm 9 v
Achieve - Coromandel 0.
MERCURY BAY TENNIS CLUB
Business House - Tuesday 11 November
Pen Vet Services def Whitianga Hotel 6-9, 9-6, 4-1,
Ocean Leopard Tours def The Landing Café 9-8,
8-9, 4-2, Connolley Painters def N.Y.M. 9-2, 9-3.
MERCURY BAY TAG FOOTY
Monday 10 November
Junior Tag Results - Kylie’s Crew 6 v Generators
7, Young Guns 2 9 v Young Guns 7, Golden
Rockets 8 v Cheetahs 8.
Senior Tag Results - Adventure Plus 2 v
Darksiders 6, Mismatch 10 v Whiti Force 7,
Llamas v Kaos (to play at a later date).
Open Grade - Tuesday 11 November
Results - Rippem 8 v Buffalo Boys 4, Evakona 6
v #8 Wire 9, Green Machine 8 v OPC 6, Weapons
8 v T’s Terrors 7, Kaos v Cooper Tyres (win by
Default).
TAIRUA COUNTRY CLUB
Twilight Golf - Monday 10 November
The first night of Twilight Golf was held in perfect
conditions.
Results Men - N Hammond 22, M Towers 18,
K Crossman 17, S Norton 16, D Scrivener 15 c/b.
Results Ladies - B Treffert 20, R Crossman 19.
A Hole in One was scored on #2 par 3 hole by
Norman Hammond. Well done Norm!
Ladies Golf - Tuesday 11 November
Closing day with the 9 Holers, A fun day playing
nine holes, followed by lunch, prize giving, and
much laughter.
Results Division 1, 18 Holers - Jan Collier 24,
Robyn Hayward 22, c/b Josey Feasey 22, Gilllian
Martin 20, c/b Lisa Radford 20, Jenny Goodman
19, c/b Diana Avery 19, c/b Bev Wickham 19, c/b
Linda Keyte 19.
Results Division 2, 9 Holers - Bev Waterman
22, Bronwyn Bovelander 21, Pamela Campbell
20, Mike Trott 19, Joyce Birdsall 17, c/b Jill
Shanley17, c/b Ruth Hope 17.
PURANGI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Thursday 13 November
A 9 hole Stableford Competition.
Results - 1st Phil Costello 19 points, Mark Bell,
Jim Brown and Jim Mitchell 17.
Saturday 15 November
An 18 hole Stableford Competition.
Very windy conditions made for difficult golf,
but some good cards were still handed in.
Results - 1st equal Buck Prendergast and Dave
Corps 42 points, John Hughes and Mark Bell 38,
Jeff Bright 37, Geoff Dalzell 36 and Barry Scott
34 points.
Birdies and Net Eagles - John Hamilton.
MERCURY BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Ladies Golf - Wednesday 12 November
Yellow Ball Competition - poor forecast meant
only 21 women in the field.
Results - 1st Kay Buckeridge, Ann Blair and Anne
Bayliss, 2nd Chris Fox, Jill Raynes and Alma
Kitchen.
Ann Blair had a two. Nearest the Pin on #4 (Mainly
Casual) - Debbie Holmes, Nearest the Pin on
#18 for two (Sheree Henderson Bayleys) - Carol
Wyborn.
Championship winners for 2014 - Bronze 1 Debbie Holmes, Bronze 2 - Alma Kitchen, Bronze
3 - Maria Duxfield, 9 Hole Women - Merrin James.
Kay Buckeridge celebrated her hole-in-one on
#12 on 9 November.
Mens Golf - Wednesday 12 November
Lee Hall had a very good round on Wednesday,
scoring 80 off a 16 handicap for 43 points.
Following him were Carl Mitchell and Wayne
Malcolm on 41, with Alan Henderson next on 40.
Wayne Kearney and Keven Clark completed the
prize list with 39 points. Two's were scored by Lee
Hall and Tracey Mulligan (Pio Pio Aria).
Mens Golf - Saturday 15 November
On Saturday the annual Shootout was played.
Eighteen players teed off with the worst stableford
score each hole dropping out, or if required, after
a playoff of those tied with the worst score per
hole. The last man standing at the end was Carl
Mitchell, who kept his nerve all day, beating off a
strong challenge on the last hole from John Lister.
Third was Wayne Cosgrave, followed by Ken
George, Bob Haase, Craig Hill and Bruce Massie.
HAHEI BRIDGE CLUB
Whenuakite Pairs - Tuesday 11 November
North/South - 1 Jean Martin and Robyn Hogg
64.58, 2 Laura Scaglia and Carol Brewer 56.02,
3 Myra Hoogwerf and Annette Cox 53.01.
East/West - 1 Diane Hayes and David Hayes
63.19, 2 Faye Smith and June Wood 57.64, 3 Lyn
Mitchell and Jean Myles 54.86.
MERCURY BAY CONTRACT BRIDGE CLUB
Wednesday 12 November
North/South - 1 Augusta Canegallo and Sue Gill
64.68, 2 Laura Scaglia and Mary Masters 55.56, 3
Gerry Church and Giorgio Allemano 51.59.
East/West - 1 Terry Stewart and Annette Gray
65.87, 2 Lynn Mitchell and Doreen Harris 57.94,
3 Alison Tichbon and Ernie Pitchfork 53.57.
The Ocean Leopard Tours Mercury Bay Business House Tennis team,
happy after an epic first round win against The Landing Café.
From left to right - Justin Hopkins, Chris Hopkins, Paul Hopkins and Johno Orbell.
Race 2 of Flaxmill Bay Series a race of firsts
By Chris Johnston
15-18 kt winds with the occasional gust
or, more appropriately, gusty conditions
with the occasional lull welcomed the
five competitors to Race 2 of the Flaxmill
Bay Series last Wednesday. Even the rain
(and occasional hail) could not dampen the
enthusiasm and enjoyment of the sailors.
Harmony (Arnie Leigh) again set off 30
minutes early, which at the time appeared
to give her an insurmountable lead.
It appeared that Arnie had more than
enough time for another cup of tea or to
finish his crossword puzzle. The remaining
four yachts got under way without incident
as all skippers understood the danger of
getting too close in the gusty conditions.
Twentysomething
(Tim
Johnston)
won the start and reached off towards the
windy buoy with Shadz (Bruce Haynes),
Blueprint (Mat Algie) and Contrast
(John Wright) in hot pursuit. At the windy
buoy Blueprint, Contrast and Shadz were all
within a couple of boat lengths of each other,
setting up a very interesting battle over to
Simpson's Beach buoy. The reach past Davis
Point was exhilarating and at times on the
edge of “out of control.”
Shadz recorded the roundup of the day
as she became so overpowered it looked as
if she wanted to tack over and head back
to the start. Most yachts recorded speeds
of around 9kts whilst two sail reaching,
with some exceeding 10kts.
Twentysomething extended her lead
around Simpson's Buoy and the three
chasers rounded very close to each other.
Another reach, this time to Doctor's Bay.
Contrast tried to overtake Blueprint by sailing
to windward and taking her wind, Blueprint
replied by rounding up to protect her wind,
all the while Shadz sailed a direct course to
the mark making up some of the ground lost
earlier.
Twentysomething still in the lead rounded
Doctors and immediately rounded hard on
the wind and headed towards Cooks Beach.
Blueprint with a one boat length overlap
on Contrast and Shadz followed suit.
Contrast and Shadz both tacked over onto
port tack and headed out into the Bay.
On the next cross Harmony was
slightly ahead of Twentysomething and
Blueprint was clear ahead of Contrast.
Contrast headed towards Shakespeare Cliff
whilst the other yachts continued more
towards Davis Point. As it turned out,
Contrast made the correct call not to follow
the fleet and found herself on the correct side
of the wind shift and when she returned on
port tack had put herself in a position to take
the lead.
As the wind continued to build,
Shadz and Twentysomething were starting
to show signs of being overpowered.
Twentysomething was heeled to such
an extent (38kts of wind) that she was
moving sideways more than forwards,
allowing Contrast to sneak through and
take line honours.
As it turns out, this was a race involving
a couple of firsts This is the first time
in 47 races that Contrast has beaten
Twentysomething on line and it is the first
time that Harmony has recorded a hat-trick
of handicap wins. Congrats to both yachts
and crew for their achievements.
Overall it was a great experience to sail
in challenging conditions and for the sailors
to get a good understanding of how their
yachts handle heavier conditions.
IICRC Certified Master Cleaning Technician
Carpet Cleaning & Restoration
Marine Carpet & Upholstery
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Rug Cleaning
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Charlie Lodge
All work undertaken will
be to the AS/NZ Standard
Institute of Inspection Cleaning
And Restoration Certification
T: 07 866 0075 M: 027 2806374
WHITIANGA ELECTRICAL & REFRIGERATION
SERVICE
Page 27

Issue 611 - The Mercury Bay Informer

Transcription

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