Waikawa Newsletter August 2023
Kia ora e te whānau,
I'm so glad the days are noticeably longer than just a few weeks ago. It's hard to believe though that Equinox is at 6:50 pm on Saturday 23 September 2023 — less than 4 weeks away.
Meanwhile, Daylight Saving starts the next day on 24 September 2023.
I'll organise another Starry Night stargazing session for near the Equinox, but haven't done the necessary research yet (sorting out the best day for low tide and no moon at a suitable time). Email me at kiaora@waikawanews.nz if you'd like me to let you know when I've organised it.
In the September sky we can expect to see the 'fish-hook of Maui' and Antares in Scorpius, and also Saturn, 1320 million Km away. We should also have a good view of the Milky Way.
In the previous newsletter I mentioned a Waterbird Walk. It didn't happen because I ran out of organising time, and in any case, most of our birds seem to have taken themselves off to some other place for the winter. I'm now thinking to do it maybe at the start of December. Again, let me know if you're interested.
Talking of birds, this time last year I spotted a Kererū in our garden — the first time I'd seen one down at the beach. This year it's back, and it's brought a friend. They've been hanging out in a Tree Lucerne down near the Strathnaver lakes, Waimarie and Te Puna a te Ora.
Most of the birds might have taken off for the winter but we had an unusual visitor to the beach in mid-August: a Subantarctic Fur Seal. It was very successfully disguised as just another bit of driftwood, but certainly looked a bit different from our usual Kekeno on closer inspection. When a motorbike drove past between the seal and the sea it raised its head and barked a complaint. Vibrations from vehicles can disturb wildlife.
If you're wondering about the Horowhenua District Council's investigations into vehicle access to the beach, especially given that the whitebaiting season opens on 01 September, we've been informed that the project team has finalized the ecological and geomorphological report. Access options will be presented to Councillors in a workshop on 06 September 2023.
On 11 August a small group dug a shallow ditch to connect the two sides of the long, lazy river loop past the Miratana Track. A couple of high tides and rainy days later the river broke through, removing the loop and making it easier for cars to get onto the beach.
For preserving and building up the beach that so many of us love to walk or drive on, there's nothing quite as effective as Spinifex. The next community spinifex planting is on 07 October 2023 — please join us at the north track off Reay Mackay Grove at 9 am. Craig Kidd from Horowhenua District Council will bring 3,500 spinifex for us to plant. Bring the whānau, friends, neighbours — all welcome.
Unfortunately pests eat plants and birds both on the beach and around the wider community. Waikawa Environment Group have as one of their goals to reduce pest populations in our community — animal and plant. They plan to soon run a workshop to make traps to catch pests such as stoats and ferrets. I'll let you know once that has been organised. Several locals are already building traps and are keen to share their knowledge. There's a link to an Environment Resources page below that will be added to as information becomes available.
Cats are an interesting case — so many of us have much-loved and treasured household cats. But some folks leave the area and dump their cats creating a wild and feral cat problem. The Wildcats of Waikawa Group have produced a truly gorgeous book with photos, drawings and stories about the local wild cats who have found caring homes. The book's for sale at the dairy on SH1 and other places. Funds go to the work.
On the other side of the coin are pests that are helpful, such as the Bud-Galling Wasp introduced by Horizons Regional Council to control the invasive pest plant Acacia longifolia, more commonly called Sydney golden wattle. The wattle takes over the dunes, crowding out native plants and has made its way even down to Waikawa Beach.
Horizons Regional Council have three priority areas: building resilience to the impacts of climate change, taking a holistic approach to natural resources from mountains to sea, and strengthening relationships with tangata whenua. Pest control and public transport, including the Capital Connection, have fallen within their sphere of work. Now they want feedback on their priority areas for next 10 years (by 17 September 2023.) and to know what you think about local public transport (by 11 September 2023).
Those who use the Capital Connection will no doubt be enjoying the 5 newly refurbished carriages that came into operation at the end of July.
Those who drive to and from Wellington will have noticed slowdowns thanks to the work to install median and side barriers between Ōtaki and Manakau. Once you're on to the Expressway though you can cruise at 100 Kph. Or maybe 110 Kph: According to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency the speed limit on the Mackays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressways could be lifted to 110 Kph in 2024. If that takes effect it could shave up to 2 minutes off your trip into town.
Heading north, there was a car crash by Whakahoro Road (Facebook link) on 17 August 2023. Traffic was stopped or delayed for about 3 hours.
And back at Waikawa Beach, Horowhenua District Council called for comments on proposed speed changes in the village and on Reay Mackay Grove. After that consultation, the Council has been presented with 3 options: A and B (No speed limit change for Waikawa Beach) and C (Permanent 30km/h speed limit for Waikawa). They'll make a decision at their meeting on 30 August 2023.
Those who work from home aren't so much affected by road speed limits but are probably very interested in Internet speeds. Chorus is now planning to retire the older copper network in areas of Levin. There was a public meeting at Manakau Community Hall on Thursday 24 August 2023. I didn't attend but would like to hear from anyone who did. Only the village at Waikawa Beach has fibre, with others in Strathnaver and round Emma Drive often complaining about slow Internet over copper wires (ADSL).
Those devastatingly slow Internet speeds could certainly use a shake-up.
We're a bit lucky around here that the Hikurangi Subduction Zone seems to be handling its stress with slow-slip earthquakes that we don't notice. But scientists have estimated that along the Hikurangi subduction zone there is a 26% chance of an event with a magnitude of 8.0 or larger striking beneath the lower North Island within the next 50 years. At deeper levels off Manawatū and Kāpiti regions one ongoing slow-slip event recently released pent-up energy equivalent to a 7.0 quake. Yikes!
Slow and steady is definitely a more relaxed approach to life. That's something many cyclists know about. And slow applies to how long it's taken Horowhenua District Council to paint a couple of yellow lines by the bike stands at the footbridge. With any luck car drivers who don't understand how bike stands work will now be discouraged from parking in such a way as to block the stands completely.
If you're one of the smart people around you may choose to join in on the Manakau District Community Association Spring in Paradise Quiz Night on 01 September 2023. Register now by contacting Kimbal McHugo T: 029 835 1215 | 362 6395 | mchugo@mchugo.co.nz.
Of course, if you choose to live at Waikawa Beach we already know you're one of the smart people. 😀
Links
- Waikawa Beach Kererū times 2.
- Subantarctic Fur Seal on the beach
- DOC calls for sightings of Subantarctic seals
- August 2023 update on HDC vehicle access study
- The river scratch, August 2023
- Whitebaiting season 2023: September and October
- Community spinifex planting on 07 October 2023 — please join in
- Environment Resources
- Understand how to make your pest control measures really work
- Smart pest control
- Book: Wild Cats of Waikawa Beach
- A bud-galling wasp is helping control the invasive pest plant Sydney golden wattle
- Horizons asks for feedback on priority areas for next 10 years
- Tell Horizons what you think about local public transport by 11 September 2023
- Capital Connection brings a smoother ride
- Median and side barriers being installed between Ōtaki and Manakau
- Possible speed increase for parts of the Expressway to Wellington
- HDC to discuss Waikawa Beach speed change options
- Car crash by Whakahoro Road, 17 August 2023
- Is copper Internet going away at Waikawa Beach?
- Hikurangi Subduction Zone could shake us up
- Footbridge bike stands finally have road markings
- MDCA Quiz Night 01 September 2023
This monthly newsletter is based on posts I've written during the month, with added sprinkles. If you'd like to automatically receive posts by email as they are published subscribe at https://waikawanews.nz/subscribe/
If you know of Waikawa Beach things that would interest others or if you have comments on this newsletter or the website please let me know at kiaora@waikawanews.nz.
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Thanks everyone for the support. I've had a lot of great feedback on my newsletters. I really appreciate that.
Hi Miraz,
Thank you for your newsletters. I find them very informative and good to keep up with what's going on in the Waikawa Beach community. — Kurt
Me te aroha,
Miraz Jordan
kiaora@waikawanews.nz
WaikawaNews: https://waikawanews.nz
aims to provide accurate and factual information on matters of interest to the local community. And to share photos of and information about local wildlife and landscapes.