New Buoys for Ocean Swimmers

New marker buoys are in place at Hardinge Road beach for the benefit of ocean swimmers, triathletes and waka racers.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Harbourmaster Martin Moore oversaw the installation of the new permanent buoys last week in time for the Port Ocean Swim race. These replace older buoys, which have drifted out of place.  

The buoys have been substantially funded by Turners and Growers, who had an official function on Wednesday 22 February to mark the installation. Installation was carried out by Oceaneering & Salvage and the regional Harbourmaster, off the Nancy Glen II fishing boat owned by Rick Burch.

The new buoys are set approximately 200 metres offshore in a line between East Pier and the southern entrance to the Breakwater port.   

The buoys will help swimmers pace themselves in training and races as these are spaced 250 metres apart and have distance markings.  They have a high tech mooring system that will keep them in the same position. The yellow buoys at each end of the row have lights to assist navigation and swimmers.

Boats still have access to and from the Sandy Beach boat ramp (at 5 knots) to beyond the buoys where they can travel at higher speeds. The permanent buoys will appear on navigation charts in due course. 

23 February 2017

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