Coastguard Northern Region is the charity saving lives at sea in the Northern part of New Zealand. In addition to patrol and Search and Rescue, we provide a variety of information and educational services designed to maximise your safe enjoyment of the water.
Within this site you will find a variety of information about us including how we can help you and vice versa. We rely on public support for our continued operation and welcome donations of time and expertise, as well as financial support.
WIN a FUJIFILM water proof camera
Coastguard Northern Region, with the support of FUJIFILM is running a photo competition over summer.
The winner will receive the recently released and ultra stylish FinePix Z33WP waterproof/dustproof compact camera.
For the details about the competition, the rules and how to enter, please click here.
NEW COASTGUARD BOATS LAUNCHED
The first of four new 10.2 metre Coastguard rescue vessels in the Northern Region area have been launched and are due to come into service with Coastguard in the very near future.
All four boats are built to the same Naiad design and are rigid hull inflatable boats. The only major difference being in the way that the boats are powered, with one being configured for twin outboard motors and the other three powered by twin diesel jet units.
First to hit the water was Coastguard Whangarei’s new boat. Built by Circa Marine in Whangarei, the new outboard powered boat is to be kept at the units Marsden Cove Marina base in Ruakaka as well as the units Whangarei base, depending on operational requirements. The new vessel is to join the units existing vessel “Whangarei Rescue”, a 6.8 metre Naiad.
The boat was built using a combination of funds from the Lottery Grants Board, Coastguard New Zealand, the ASB Community Trust, Pub Charity and through a combination of funds raised by the unit. For the Whangarei unit, it was important that as much of the boat as possible was built locally and its pleasing that through the way that the project was funded that this was able to happen.
Coastguard Whangarei’s new boat was closely followed by Coastguard Bay of Islands new boat which is powered by twin diesel jet units. This is the first of three, nearly identical boats that have been built for units within the Northern Region area by the West Auckland firm of Blue Water Boats. The new boat replaces the unit’s existing boat which has been sold. Like Whangarei, the Bay of Island’s boat was funded through a combination of different sources.
Both of these boats as well as the two that are currently being built for other units, are part of Coastguard Northern Regions five year capital replacement programme. Funding for this programme was made initially through a grant from the ASB Community Trust that so far has seen seven new boats built, three existing boats refurbished and four units receiving second hand boats.
NEW NOWCASTING SERVICE MAKES BOATING SAFER
Coastguard Northern Region wishes to advise boaties who use either the Raglan or Kawhia Harbours that they can now access Coastguard’s Nowcasting Marine safety service before they leave the harbour on marine VHF Channel 21 following the installation of a new repeater near Raglan recently.
Nowcasting is where wind data is captured at selected sites around New Zealand and is then broadcast continuously over the dedicated marine VHF channels. Nowcasting information includes both the peak and average wind speed, the wind direction, as well as the next high tide information and most recent marine forecast.
Coastguard Northern Region Services Manager Michael Lawrence says that previously boaties could only access the information on channel 22 after they had left either harbour, but thanks to a grant from the New Zealand Community Trust, a new repeater has now been installed at Te Uku that provides the necessary coverage to allow the broadcasts to be picked up inside both harbours.
“Nowcasting is rated as one of the most valuable services that Coastguard provides for all boaties and the installation of the new repeaters means that boaties who are crossing either the Raglan or Kawhia bars can now use that information to help them make the decision on whether or not it is safe to cross the bar.”
The installation of the new VHF Channel 21 in the Raglan and Kawhia Harbour is one of a number of recent enhancements that Coastguard Northern Region has made to its Nowcasting service with the others being the introduction of an on demand Nowcasting service for boaties in the Hauraki Gulf on Channel 22 and an increased coverage for the Bay of Islands area on channel 21.
