Professional Skipper - Free Sample issue (July/Aug 2011)

WATERWAYS – Waterfront Business In brief… Commercial fishing suspected in marine reserve The Department of Conservation is investigating a report that a commercial fishing boat appeared to be fishing in the Motu Manawa/Pollen Island marine reserve in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour. DoC rangers who responded to a phone call from a motorist seized two nets and about 80 fish. "We're investigating the incident and if we find an offence has been committed we'll be prosecuting," says Phil Brown, the biodiversity manager at DoC's Auckland area office. The reserve protects some 500ha of the inner reaches of Waitemata Harbour and supports an abundance of birdlife. Refits not just for superyachts The 37 South offices have had a complete interior refit of their own. The directors, Allan Jouning and Phil Tomlinson, agreed that after 11 years in the same surroundings it was time for a major refurbishment to give the offices a true representation of the modern superyacht industry, with a sharp, clean, organised atmosphere. The street front has dark tints with the corporate logo in frosting. The interior base colour, called "black white", is painted throughout and colour is introduced through glass and light features. The refit was celebrated with an opening event on June 30. Company continues trips to Tiri 360 Discovery has been successful in re-securing the contract to carry passengers to Tiritiri Matangi Island for the next five years. The sister company of Fullers has been operating the service from Auckland and Gulf Harbour to the island over the past six years and plans to continue its programme of raising awareness about the renowned conservation island and bird sanctuary by working with the Department of Conservation, the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi and enhancing the existing schools programme. "We will be working on initiatives to continuously improve the service and experience to passengers over the next five years," said 360 Discovery's manager, Tony Galloway. The island brings significant revenue to the Auckland region from tourism as well driving international awareness of New Zealand's clean, green image. 42 Professional Skipper July/August 2011 r Passengers suffer in fast boat rides TWO COMPANIES OFFERING thrilling boat rides in the Bay of Islands are facing investigations by Maritime New Zealand after passengers were injured. Cathy Cooke, of Maungatapere, boarded the Mack Attack last December 21 with k her granddaughter, Scarlett, and a young cousin, both aged 14. The trio were sitting in the front of the open boat. Ms Cooke did not fasten her seatbelt and said she was not directed to do so. Big swells near the harbour entrance lifted her up and she was injured when she fell back down, ending up on the deck and breaking her spine. The Mack Attack returned to Waitangi, where k she was taken to Whangarei Hospital. Maritime NZ found the Mack Attack did k not comply with safe ship management requirements and a prohibition notice issued on January 12 ordered the boat off the water, although she is now back in operation. Mack Attack director Richard Prentice k said passenger seats on the vessel were improved after another woman hurt her back on the boat about two years ago. He expressed sympathy for Ms Cooke, but declined to comment on the case, as it was under Maritime NZ investigation. Maritime NZ is also looking into separate incidents involving the Excitor III on January 12 and March 22, in which passengers received serious back injuries. She has been ordered to stay docked after several passengers were injured, with one woman, Petula Patey, spending 12 weeks in a body brace after fracturing her back in rough seas. An Australian woman suffered a back injury while on the Excitor III on March 22 and was expected to be off work until early May. The manager of Fullers GreatSights Bay of Islands, Charles Parker, said Maritime NZ requested it withdraw Excitor III from service after the company correctly notified the body of two incidents involving passengers on the vessel. Parker said the Excitor III was a new Naiad rigid inflatable and was commissioned into service on October 10. "Fullers always places passenger safety as a top priority," he said. Maritime NZ was actively working with operators of high-speed craft in the Bay of Islands as part of a wider review of the sector, the scope and terms of which were now being drafted, said a Maritime NZ official, Sharyn Forsyth. DRILL SHIP MOVED TO SAFETY THE DRILL SHIP Noble Discoverer, with 114 people on board, was marooned for a while off the Taranaki coast in April during heavy weather, reports our US correspondent Hugh Ware. The rig had been drilling on the Ruru-1 exploration well off the coast of south Taranaki for Shell Todd Oil Services, or STOS, when it was disconnected from its wellhead as a precaution before heavy winds hit on April 27 and 28. Some of her eight anchor lines snapped in the storm and the remaining lines were released so she could be steered to deeper water nor'west of New Plymouth. All the crew were said to be safe, despite the understandable discomfort caused by the top-heavy drilling derrick rolling in the 7m seas. STOS said the Noble Discoverer had a long history of safe and reliable offshore r operations. She had received major refits in 2001 and 2006, and a $25 million upgraded exhaust system in 2009. The company had identified the ship as the most suitable vessel for the contract before June last year, said the general manager of STOS, Rob Jager. The ship is to remain in Port Taranaki before resuming drilling later this year, and may be involved in recovering heavy drilling equipment left on the seabed when she had to run for shelter. Both STOS and Maritime New Zealand are investigating the incident.

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