Damage Control

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson said the national policy statement, which replaced an earlier policy, gave councils clearer direction on protecting and managing New Zealand's coastal environment, including surf breaks, for the first time.

Read the FULL online Article at the ODT here

Editors note in response to Article

Yes I agree the new NZ Coastal Policy Statement 2010 does create the need for extra attention for Port Otago in relation to their Next Generation project affecting the Aramoana Surfbreak, which is now Nationally protected.

Mr Hastie seems to have put his hand up to represent surfers as opposing the Next Generation Project, unaware of the lengthy negotiations with Mr Plunket that myself and Rod Rust have had to secure an understanding and good will prior to his comments in this article.

The 6.2k out to sea dump site will not adversely affect surfing/surfers under the Port Otago proposals. The dump sites of concern are the existing sites for which a separate consent will be applied for in 2011. Also of concern is the deepening of the channel at the heads and the effect on the ebb delta there.

Leroy Rust - Aiming High

Read the whole article at the ODT website here

Skidi tired of getting so big!

Arsenic, asbestos found in Dunedin dunes

Please read the whole article on the Otago Daily Times Website here.

Mysterious sludge at beach years ago, Dunedin man recalls
From the ODT website By Chris Morris on Fri, 26 Nov 2010

Revelations the sand dunes at Dunedin's Middle beach are laced with traces of industrial chemicals have jogged memories of a mysterious white sludge for Dunedin man Wayne Campbell.

Mr Campbell (62) contacted the Otago Daily Times this week. after Dunedin City Council staff last week confirmed traces of arsenic, asbestos and other industrial chemicals had been found in the dunes.

The contamination of the seaward side of the dunes was believed to have come from old landfill buried under what is now Kettle Park, although council staff were awaiting more test results to determine the extent of the problem.

Mr Campbell said he could recall coming across a mysterious white substance while fossicking in the landfill as a young boy in the 1950s.

Please continue to read the whole article on the Otago Daily Times Website here.

Our Vege Garden - November 2010

This year is going to be the bumper year for as close as possible to self sufficiency in fruit and vegetables. And I'm really enjoying spending more time in the garden now I am not working. Especially since:

We now have a 4mx2.5m Morrifield Tunnel House!
I'm Stoked to say that the tunnel house is all up and running with 6 beefsteak tomato plants, 6 cherry tomato plants, 6 chilli plants, 6 mixed pepper plants, a cucumber, masses of rocket, fennel, and a seeded row of mixed basil. Below- all planted out:

Above: Jay worked extremely hard last week to dig out and build the foundations for the tunnel house. We got in two trailer loads of mulch and organic compost, which was mixed in by Dean from 'We Hoe You Grow'.. every year from the start of our new garden, Dean has come and mixed and mulched our soil to a fine till, making our job much easier, and saving Jay's back for more surfs.

Above: Dean Hoeing last week -

If you want some quality Hoeing magic in your Vege patch, Dean Mooyman can be contacted at: 021 2474633 or email wehoeyougrow@vodaphone.co.nz

Above left: my new herb garden Jay put together over the top of an old broken concrete pad with the Tunnel House in the background, and to the right the three raised garden beds, newly planted out. Above right: the fruit trees coming along, with the mixed vine berries, grapes and berry bushes along the fenceline. At the bottom of the garden the big black walnut, and the big old skool apple tree.

Arvo Surf

Auckland for Surfbreak

A couple of weeks ago I travelled to Auckland for the AGM of the Surfbreak Protection Society.
I was honoured to get voted back on the committee for my second year, and look forward to doing whatever I can for the organisation.
Pic to left taken after the meeting at the Auckland Law Courts building somewhere in the centre city.
Left to right: Geer Iseke, Paul Shanks, Nic Reeves, Mike Gunson, Monique Olivier, Allen Pidwell, John Shaw, missing David Storck and Scotty Grieve.
New Surfbreak Facebook Group I made a few days ago

Surfbreak Protection Society | Promote your Page too

Above:: Taking off from Dunedin airport flying low looking towards waldronville (middle circle), where I live, with Blackhead headland to the left circled, suburbs Fairfield in the foreground, Green Island to the right. Closer to the sea is the Refuse Transfer station at the head of the Kaikorai Estuary which leads out to the sea past Waldronville. I love where I live!
Next pic below is of the Kaikoras shrouded in clouds on the way up.

Above: A night shot of Auckland from the street. And then my short trip to flat Piha. Last photo at bottom is from the plane window taxiing along the runway at sunset.

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from the carpark

26th October 2010 - Windy As -
Below: Jimi popping out of a loong tube, fresh from indo