Westhaven Yacht Club, Auckland, New Zealand
Daccord’s new windows and toy (we got the kayak so we could get some exercise when out on the water, maybe we could get a few more boats doing the same thing, you get the exercise when you fall out and can’t get back on so have to swim back to your boat). Birthdays November: Barbara McEwan December: Bill McCook, Brian Goodwin, Brian Peachey Rob’s Ramblings – aka Commodore’s Report How time flies during lockdown. It seems like only the other day when I did the last report. We are looking forward to getting out on the water and being allowed to go ashore, whenever that will be. In the meantime we have been getting around to doing the things we have been going to do for some time. For us it has been to replace our anchor well cover which we have been going to do since 2002. It was an interesting job for us as it needed to be twisted in two directions to match the curvature of the boat. At least I know what I will have to do if ever I have to make a new one. I hope you all received my email about Bayswater Marina, and have considered making individual submissions to the process. It is not that hard to do. The key issue is that there is a move afoot by Council to allow Marina land in Auckland to be used for residential development which in turn limits the opportunity for current and future users to access the water. One reason for this is to improve Council’s financial position. My submission on behalf of the club is attached. Feel free to share with your boatie mates. The more that can show an interest in keeping marinas the way they are, the greater the opportunity future generations will have to access our waters. Also I remind members to pay their club subscriptions if they haven’t already done so, or advise us otherwise, so as we can advise AYBA on our membership numbers when we pay our annual subscription to them. Over the lockdown period, your committee have been meeting by Zoom and are now getting dab hands at using it. Take care out there. Rob Westhaven Yacht Club Submission As Commodore of the above organisation, I have been asked to make the following submission on behalf of our club. The application does not meet the tests required by the RMA and is inconsistent with the purpose of the zone and also the Values of the Auckland Plan 2050 which states - "Homes and Places- Aucklanders live in secure, healthy, and affordable homes, and have access to a range of inclusive public places." and "Transport and Access -Aucklanders will be able to get where they want to go more easily, safely and sustainably" ( i.e. they want to go to, or walk alongside, the sea) There has not been any opportunity for a public meeting to hear more about the proposal and Council's position on the future of the network of the region’s marinas in general. There is an urgent need for a Marina Strategy and in the absence of one, all residential developments on Marina land should be put on hold until one is adopted. There appears to be no “basis in fact” for allocating marina zone land to residential development in preference to the primary purpose of the zone – to service marine related activities. Marinas like Gulf Harbour, where I sail from, do not have enough room for parking on the weekends, due to the extensive and increasing demand for trailer parking. During the week there is not enough parking for ferry commuters. It will be even worse when weekend ferries start to operate. A Marina Strategy would address the land required to meet the demand of future generations. It could well determine more marina land will be required at Bayswater, for future active or passive recreation as well as parking for ferry passengers as they reduce their use of their fossil fuelled cars and catch public transport as being promoted by Council. Bayswater Marina is a unique facility and should be maintained and developed for its primary purpose. Houses can be built more economically away from the marina and there are other land options for housing on the North Shore. Had the recent proposed Gulf Harbour development gone ahead, many ordinary Aucklanders would have been deprived of the opportunity to launch their boats there and may well have impacted on the ability to park and catch ferries. It is situations like this and the current application for Bayswater that should make a Marina Strategy urgent. Council's maps describe the areas each side of the Marina land as an "Areas Susceptible to Coastal Instability and Erosion". I believe that there has been insufficient consideration of the long-term impact of sea level rise on the land based activities at the Marina such as car and trailer parking and ferry travel. This may require the land proposed for development to be used for future parking and marina based buildings as sea levels rise. No doubt the buildings could be raised to a height to be protected from sea level rise, but the land cannot. Allowing the development to proceed increases the risk of adverse impacts on the activities of people who would use the land for their active or passive recreation and getting to and from work, and should be avoided. Over the last few decades we have made access to the water increasingly harder for ordinary people, particularly where parking is required, while the number of people formally, or informally, participating in marine activities, including ferry commutes, is steadily increasing as is our population which is expected to increase from 1.66m to 2.4m or 45% by 2050. This will place even more demand on the Bayswater facility and other marinas which makes keeping the land for its original purpose, and having a Marina Strategy, even more important. We may even require more land at marinas to meet future needs. There are many more appropriate sites around Auckland for housing development but few for marina developments and future ferry terminals. Once the land is lost, it cannot be regained. Restricting access to Auckland's marine environment at Bayswater for the purpose of high cost residential development is unsustainable and will deprive future generations of practical and safe access to the sea including those with small water craft such as dinghy's. It will also prevent marine based industries from being close to those who need their services. Marina facilities are also used by non-boaties . Many people like to walk around marinas as they are away from traffic and the view is pleasant. Access to the marine environment via a marina for active and passive recreation is a fundamental right which should be protected and enhanced for current and future Aucklanders and is reflected in the Values of the Auckland Plan 2050. Off Water events Xmas party 11th Dec 1630hrs Bill & Lis Place More details later (We are having a committee meeting on the 17th Nov to finalize details) On Water Events November 6th old fox #1 Rocky Bay / Rakino At this stage we are not permitted to anchor off Waiheke, but I think Rakino is OK will confirm closer to date November 20th Walk Around Motuhui/Rakino Taskmaster #2 ChallengeAnd the Winner is... Bill and Lis's Vodka and Tonic man The next taskmaster challenge #3 Create an artwork using items from your pantry. Best artwork wins another bottle of wine. Entries close 1600hrs on the 17th November This month’s bad joke Old lady goes to the doctor for a checkup. After doing the various tests, he asks her if she has any persistent medical problems. She tells him, "well, I probably shouldn't even bring this up since it really isn't a problem, but...I have constant gas. As a matter of fact, since you've been in this room with me, I've passed gas thirty or forty times, but you wouldn't know it because they're silent and they don't smell. This goes on every day, wherever I go, but like I said, it's not a problem because they're silent and they don't smell." "I see," the doctor says. "I'm going to write you a little prescription. Take these pills for a week and call me with the results." The old lady fills the prescription, takes the pills religiously, and calls the doctor the next week. "What was in those pills?" she screamed. "I still have the constant gas, but now it smells AWFUL. I can't even stay in the same room with myself!" "Oh, good, " the doctor says. "Now that we have your sinuses cleared up, let's work on your little hearing problem." Nautical History Above Board The term today means someone who is honest, forthright. It's origin comes from the days when pirates would masquerade as honest merchantmen, hiding most of their crew behind the bulwark (side of the ship on the upper deck). They hid below the boards Even worse bad joke of the month A driver is stopped by a police officer. The driver asks, “What’s the problem officer?” Officer: “You were going at least 75 in a 55 zone”. Man: “No sir, I was going 65″. Wife: “Oh, Harry. You were going 80″ (The man gives his wife a dirty look) Officer: “I’m also going to give you a ticket for your broken tail light”. Man: “Broken tail light? I didn’t know about a broken tail light!” Wife: “Oh Harry, you’ve known about that tail light for weeks”. (The man gives his wife another dirty look) Officer: “I’m also going to give you a citation for not wearing your seatbelt”. Man: “Oh I just took it off when you were walking up to the car”.Wife: “Oh Harry, you never wear your seatbelt”. The man turns to his wife and yells, “SHUT IT PLEASE!” The Officer turns to the woman and asks, “Ma’am, does your husband talk to you this way all the time?” The wife says, “No, only when he’s drunk”. |
AuthorWesthaven Yacht Club Archives
March 2024
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