Local notices to mariners Local notices to mariners
Notices to mariners cover events, local issues and infrastructure issues that may affect navigation in the Auckland region.
Local navigation aids warnings
For any enquiries, please contact harbourmaster@at.govt.nz
On this page: Local notices to mariners currently in force
- 11 – 24 Devonport Swim Club Round North Head Swim
- 10 – 24 Great Barrier Island temporary wharf closures, Okupu & Tryphena
- 09 – 24 NZ Defence Force live firing activity, South Kaipara
- 07 – 24 Outboard Boating Club Distress Signal Training
- 06 – 24 NZDF Distress Signal Training, Upper Waitemata Harbour
- 05 – 24 Te Wero lifting bridge – mechanical issues
- 04 – 24 Distress Signal Training, Te Atatu Boating Club
- 03 – 24 Navigational Hazard, Sandbank shoaling, Whau River Mouth
- 34 – 23 Marine farm development, Western Firth
- 30 - 23 O Mahurangi Penlink Weiti River Bridge Construction Works
- 29 – 23 Missing Isolated Danger Mark, Spray Rock, Waiheke
- 21 - 23 Marine construction, Hobsonville Point
- 43 – 22 Fallen trees, Matakana River
- 41 – 21 Great Barrier Island – no anchoring areas
- 19 – 21 Navigational hazard, sand bank shoaling, Tamaki River
- 12 – 21 Kennedy Point Marina Construction Zone
- 57 – 19 Submerged pile in the approaches to Tramcar Bay Boat yard, Whangateau
- 32 – 19 Motuihe Wharf Closure
- 28 – 18 Hobson Bay / Okahu Bay wave screen
- 22 – 17 Wairoa River Fallen Tree
- 08 – 17 Chart Plotters (Updated)
11 – 24 Devonport Swim Club Round North Head Swim
The Devonport Swim Club will be holding the Round the Head Swim from Windsor Reserve Devonport to Cheltenham Beach. The swim will start at 0745 hours, with some 200 swimmers competing in the swim, which will finish no later than 1000 hours.
For the duration of the swim, 4 x Yellow Harbourmaster Event buoys will mark the swim course, and the area will be patrolled by Surf Life Saving personnel.
All vessels are requested to keep clear of the area and navigate with extreme caution when transiting around North Head.
*Not to be used for navigation
This notice expires: 1100 hours, Saturday 2 March 2024
Bruce Goff
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
10 – 24 Great Barrier Island temporary wharf closures, Okupu & Tryphena
All mariners are advised that the following 2 Auckland Transport wharf structures at Great Barrier Island will be closed to the public whilst the marine contractor STF Limited undertakes wharf maintenance work.
Okupu Wharf – We will have a piling barge and dive crews on site from12 March for 10 days, replacing the fender piles and stairs.
Tryphena Wharf – We have a variety of barges and divers working in and around the wharf from 22 March through mid-August 2024. The Inner Pontoon berth will be available. All vessels are requested to keep wake to a minimum and approach the wharf facility with
caution.
Bruce Goff
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
09 – 24 NZ Defence Force live firing activity, South Kaipara
All mariners are advised that there will be live firing activities off South Kaipara Head between 18 to 22 March 2024 and 25 to 28 March 2024.
The operations will be between 0800 hours and 1600 hours, weather permitted. The area will be marked by flags on the beach and road access, which will be patrolled.
All mariners are advised to stay well clear of the area during the periods of activation.
Affected waterways are indicated as below.
The image is not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
07 – 24 Outboard Boating Club Distress Signal Training
All mariners are advised that Outboard Boating Club will be undertaking Distress Signal Training at
7 Tamaki Drive, Outboard Boating Club, between 1900 hours and 2030 hours on Tuesday 12 March
2024.
Distress signals to be used as the below:
Number | Description |
30 | Handheld red distress flares |
2 | Orange smoke distress flares |
*Not to be used for navigation
Gareth Williams
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
06 – 24 NZDF Distress Signal Training, Upper Waitemata Harbour
All mariners are advised that the NZDF will be undertaking Distress Signal Training in the vicinity of Kauri Point at GPS -36.49.300 / 174.41.550 on Tuesday 5 March 2024 between 1000 hours and 1200 hours.
Distress signals to be used as below:
Number | Description |
6 | Handheld red distress flares |
6 | Orange smoke distress flares |
*Not to be used for navigation
Gareth Williams
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
05 – 24 Te Wero lifting bridge – mechanical issues
The Te Wero lifting bridge in the Viaduct Marina currently has mechanical issues and may not be able to fully lift as expected.
All vessels intending to navigate through the bridge span should navigate with caution and make an early call, prior to entering the buoyed approach channel on entry, to Viaduct Control on VHF Ch.73 for advice.
Please note that the double-span bridge lift is available if requested, for any reason at all (for example, size of vessel, wind strength, direction or skipper confidence). So please contact Viaduct Control early to discuss any requirements.
All mariners are advised to navigate with caution while operating in this area.
Christiaan Moss
Deputy Harbourmaster
Harbourmaster’s Office
04 – 24 Distress Signal Training, Te Atatu Boating Club
All mariners are advised that Auckland Sailing School will be undertaking Distress Signal Training at 32 Bridge Avenue, Te Atatu South, between 1300 hours and 1400 hours on 25 February 2024.
Distress signals to be used as below:
Number | Description |
6 | Handheld red distress flares |
1 | Handheld orange smoke signals |
1 | Buoyant orange smoke signals |
*Not to be used for navigation
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
03 – 24 Navigational Hazard, Sandbank shoaling, Whau River Mouth
All mariners are advised that there is shoaling on the western side of the channel,
near the Whau River Mouth. The location is identified with yellow, as below.
All mariners are advised to navigate with caution while operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Christiaan Moss
Deputy Harbourmaster
Harbourmaster’s Office
34 – 23 Marine farm development, Western Firth
All mariners are advised that there will be marine farm development at Western Firth from 09/11/2023. The development includes the installation of navigation aids, mussel lines, and others. The site is located in YELLOW on the map below. All mariners are advised to navigate with caution while operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
30 - 23 O Mahurangi Penlink Weiti River Bridge Construction Works
All mariners are advised that construction of the O Mahurangi Penlink River Bridge will commence mid September 2023 with the installation of temporary platforms built on the western and eastern banks of the Weiti River to facilitate the construction of the permanent Weiti River bridge. Work will involve pile drilling, vibing and hammering into the seabed.
A barge will operate between the two staging platforms providing materials to the work sites through to December 2026.
Passage through the Weiti River Bridge Construction Zone will remain open to mariners, however Weiti River closures are expected during the finally stages of the project build. All river closures will be notified prior to the planned works. Mariners are requested to keep wake to a minimum when transiting through the bridge construction zone for the safety of construction staff.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Bruce Goff
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
29 – 23 Missing Isolated Danger Mark, Spray Rock, Waiheke
All mariners are advised that an Isolated Danger Mark is reported as missing from
Spray Rock, North of Waiheke Island. All mariners are advised to navigate with
caution while operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
21 – 23 Marine construction, Hobsonville Point
All mariners are advised that marine construction will commence on the water at Hobsonville Point. The affected area is on the map below. Operations will be under way between 22 May 2023 and the end of March 2024, weather permitting, and the platform and barge will be involved in construction.
All mariners are advised to navigate with caution while operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
Notice: 43 – 22 Fallen trees, Matakana River
All mariners are advised that there are several fallen trees reported in upper reaches of Matakana River, potentially impeding navigation in this area. All mariners are advised to navigate with caution when operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
Notice: 41 – 21 Great Barrier Island – no anchoring areas
This notice replaces previous Local Notice to Mariners 39 – 21.
All mariners are advised that there are three no anchoring/closed areas on Great Barrier Island. The no anchoring areas are: Blind Bay, Whangaparapara and Tryphena Harbours. You can anchor with a permit from MPI, but not for any other reason.
There is guidance on the MPI page.
Please contact Ministry of Primary Industries for further details Ministry for Primary Industries.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Notice: 19 - 21 Navigational hazard, sandbank shoaling, Tamaki River
All mariners are advised that a sandbank, which is North of the No.15 marker in Tamaki River, is shoaling due to sand-building. Locations are identified as per below and the depth in the vicinity could be lower than charted depth.
All mariners are to navigate with additional caution while operating in this area.
*Not to be used for navigation.
Jason Son
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
Notice: 12 - 21 Kennedy Pt Waiheke Island Marina Development Project Stage 1
All mariners are advised that construction work for the new Kennedy Point Marina Devolvement will commence next week. Construction vessels, including a Jack-up Barge, will be operating in the area highlighted below.
All vessels are requested to keep clear of the marina construction zone and all authorised vessels to maintain a safe distance from any construction and work vessel during Stage 1 of the marina construction programme.
*Not to be used for navigation
Bruce Goff
Maritime Officer
Harbourmaster’s Office
Notice to Mariners: 57 - 19 Submerged pile in the approaches to Tramcar Bay Boat Yard, Whangateau
The Harbourmaster has received reports of a submerged pile in the approaches to Tramcar Bay boat yard in the waters between Whangateau Harbour and Tramcar Bay.
All mariners are advised to navigate with extreme caution when operating in this area.
Not to be used for navigation.
Pulasthi Ranasinghe
Maritime Officer
Notice to Mariners: 32 - 19 Motuihe Wharf Closure
All mariners are advised that the Department of Conservation has closed the Motuihe wharf due to public safety, the wharf will remain closed until further notice.
The Department is working closely with engineers to look at options available to remedy issues and re-open the wharf as soon as practicable.
The Department apologises for any inconvenience and will continue to keep the public informed as they seek solutions.
Updates will be provided on the DOC website and should you require further information, please contact the DOC hotline on 0800 362 468.
Map not to be used for navigation.
Pulasthi Ranasinghe
Maritime Officer
Notice: 28 - 18 Hobson Bay/Okahu Bay wave screen
All mariners are advised to navigate with caution in the vicinity of the Hobson Bay/Okahu Bay derelict wave screen. Mariners are reminded that they should only navigate through the recognised entry/exit (as per chart NZ 5322).
Map not to be used for navigation.
Christiaan Moss
Deputy Harbourmaster
Notice 22 - 17: Wairoa River, fallen tree (upper reaches), 20 July 2017
All Mariners are advised that a large tree has fallen into the upper reaches of the Wairoa River, potentially impeding navigation.
GPS coordinates:
- Latitude 36°58’840
- Longitude 175°02’655
All mariners are advised to navigate with extreme caution in this area.
The map is not to be used for navigation.
Bruce Goff
Maritime Officer
Notice 08 - 17: Chart Plotters - updated 14 March 2017
All Mariners are reminded that electronic chart plotters are to be used as an aid to navigation and paper charts should be updated and consulted.
Electronic raster charts used on some plotters may not incorporate the latest chart corrections.
Mariners are reminded to use up to date charts for navigation and advised to contact their plotter supplier if in doubt.
Harbourmaster’s Office
Some images on this page are based on/include LINZ’s data which are licensed by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
Pest warning: Mediterranean Fanworm
The Mediterranean Farmworn is a pest that has been spotted in the Waitemata Harbour/inner Hauraki Gulf, as well as the Whangarei Harbour and Lyttleton Port.
Keep your boat's hull clean to reduce the risk of this pest clinging and causing damage to our marine life.
Marine Biosecurity Information: New Rules & Regulations
Marine pests spread easily through ballast water and hull fouling, including Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella Spallanzani) and Clubbed tunicate (Styela clava). Check to ensure your hull is clean and be aware of other regions rules before leaving Auckland.
Visit marinepests.nz for more information and to check marine biosecurity rules and regulations for different regions in the northern North Island.
Read further information on marine pests (PDF 334KB)
Weather information
For up-to-date weather information, visit the MetService website.
Link to Coastguard Now Casting Weather Information VHF Channels: https://www.coastguard.nz/boating-safely/marine-weather