Waikawa Newsletter May 2023
Kia ora e te whānau,
we've had some splendid cold nights with warm sunny days lately, quite appropriate for ngahuru, the tenth month of the Māori year, autumn, harvest time.
In the night sky Venus has been hanging out with the crescent moon — hard to miss in the west.
Meanwhile we've had some high tides, filling the estuary and taking more of the bank away in front of the Miratana block by the entrance off Manga Pirau Street. Rocks from the old groyne have also been exposed.
Erosion along the Miratana frontage.
The river in the estuary has also moved closer to the land, leaving only enough room for pedestrians to walk around. In the last few days at least one vehicle got stuck in the soft sand and needed a tow to get out.
Unfortunately, over in the area where new dunes are building, south of the river, motorbikes and heavier vehicles keep driving through, around and over the small dunes, tearing up the growth and compressing the vegetation that helps build the beach. One group interviewed by Police about this behaviour reportedly didn't understand that they were riding in the dunes. The Police did confirm though that vehicles are only allowed to travel below the last high water mark, and must be licensed.
Nope. No Kuaka | Godwits round here. Nope.
There are fewer birds around the estuary, though the half dozen Kuaka | Godwits who stay with us over winter are still busy feeding. It's good though to spot the Kuruwhengi | Australasian shovelers on lake Puna o te Ora at the corner of Strathnaver Drive and Reay Mackay Grove. Both lakes at that location are marked as 'Significant Natural Areas'.
Kuruwhengi | Australasian shovelers
Coming up in the week of 24 June – 2 July 2023 is the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey. Do you take part? It involves sitting in your garden for an hour on one day looking to see what birds are around. It's really easy to do and is a great contribution to Citizen Science.
Last year I saw: 6 sparrows, 3 magpies, 3 swallows, 3 waxeyes, 1 fantail, 1 blackbird, 1 kingfisher, 1 hawk, 1 chaffinch, 1 pheasant. The hardest thing is the birds that whiz through too fast to tell what they are!
Kōtare | Kingfisher.
One of the many threats to the birds of Waikawa Beach is the feral cats. The group Wild Cats of Waikawa held a yard sale to raise fund for their work, which includes trapping, neutering and relocating or rehoming wild cats. They raised several hundred dollars, so watch out for more of their sales.
On Sunday night, 28 May 2023, expect your phone to take you by surprise as there's a test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system. Those things are loud!
In May we had a heap of rain again — enough to bring back the Strathnaver Puddle and ponds on roadsides and in paddocks. The water table is still high though and any fall of rain tends to bring back the puddles.
My rain gauge says we had more than 170mm rain between the first and the 25th of May. In previous Mays, for the whole month, we had: 2019: 65mm; 2020: 100mm, 2021: 53mm; 2022: 139mm.
Rain was our friend in (almost) putting out some vegetation burn-offs taking place along Waikawa Beach Road near Emma Drive. The burns produced a heap of smoke that drifted all over Waikawa Beach, meaning doors and windows had to be shut tight on otherwise very pleasant days. The fires seem to still be smouldering though.
And for those out to enjoy any smoke-free sunny days bike stands have now been installed by the Miratana Track off Manga Pirau Street and by the north track off Reay Mackay Grove. These stands are different from the ones by the footbridge, as they are the simpler, more old-fashioned, single bar kind you can lean your bike against and lock up to.
New bike stands by Miratana Track.
Horowhenua District Council have reported they are:
looking at focusing on reducing speeds around schools, speeds around marae, reducing speed limits in Manakau township, Ohau township and Waikawa Beach …
Perhaps that will result in the often requested reduction of speeds through the village.
As for the research into ways for vehicles to access the beach, I asked for an update to share with the community. The reply I received on 17 May 2023 said, in part:
Our experts from Boffa Miskell are working on the related ecological - and coast erosion report. As soon as I have more detailed information on the next steps will inform you. I am aware that further, wider public consultation is planned once the research work has established the possibilities.
Meanwhile, see below for links to lots of items about transport related to Waikawa Beach, including the possibility of a better train service, safety improvements and turn-around bay construction between Ōtaki and Levin, confirmation that yes, the Ōtaki to North of Levin expressway really is going ahead, and community information sessions about the safety improvements and Ō2NL work.
And then there's Climate Change. We've been so lucky to avoid the storms and floods and devastation in parts north of us, but we won't be able to avoid climate change and its devastating effects. The Manawatū-Whanganui Joint Climate Action Plan 2023 has been released to clarify councils’ role in addressing climate change impacts in the Horizons Region to build thriving communities and preserve and enhance the environment.
Hmmm, I don't want to end on a downer — Maybe you'd enjoy this photo of a young Kekeno | New Zealand Fur Seal on driftwood at Waikawa Beach in September 2017.
Links
- Wild Cats of Waikawa yard sale
- 28 May 2023: test of Emergency Mobile Alert
- 270 mm rain brings back the Strathnaver puddle in May 2023
- Smoke gets in your eyes, clothes, house…
- Bike stands on Reay Mackay Grove and by the Miratana Track
- Possible speed reduction in the village
- Update on the research into where a vehicle beach access, if any, should be located
- Better rail service on its way
- O2NL going ahead — for real this time, really, 19 May 2023
- Ō2NL Community Group meetings May 2023
- SH1 safety update, April 2023
- SH1 Ōtaki to Ohau safety improvements May 2023
- Manawatū-Whanganui Joint Climate Action Plan 2023
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Thanks everyone for the support. I've had a lot of great feedback on my newsletters. I really appreciate that.
Me te aroha,
Miraz Jordan
WaikawaNews: https://waikawanews.nz