Catch fish, not cables this summer
Boaties visiting Pauanui and Tairua this summer are being reminded to stay safe around marine power cables spanning the harbour at the holiday hot spot.
That’s the message in ‘Catch Fish, Not Cables’, Powerco’s public safety campaign specially for the Pauanui and Tairua communities.
Powerco’s General Manager Health and Safety, Julie McAvoy, says with this holiday season expecting to be a bumper one in the area, particularly with people returning to holiday homes following Covid-19 Alert Level lockdowns, it’s timely to remind boaties of what’s below.
“While local boaties are no doubt well aware that marine power cables span the waterway between Tairua and Pauanui, visitors may not be,” Julie McAvoy says.
One power cable lies on the seabed at the entrance to Pauanui Waterways, with another between Pleasant Point and Tairua. While that one is buried in the sand, the Pauanui Waterways’ cable lies on the seabed.
“The cables are marked with warning signs onshore and by buoys on the water.
“Like with overhead power lines, there’s potential for electric shock with marine cables. To stay safe, it’s important to keep vessels well clear of the marine cables and not anchor near them. Damaging them could not only be a safety risk to people on the vessel but could potentially disrupt Pauanui community’s power supply over the busy summer period,” Julie McAvoy says.
The marine cable closest to Pauanui Waterways is the main power supply to Pauanui and is required for busy peak holiday period use.
If you suspect you’ve snagged a cable, don’t try to free it. The safest thing to do is record your position, abandon your gear, and contact Powerco’s emergency line 0800 27 27 27.
The Tairua and Pauanui communities can catch reminders of the ‘Catch Fish, Not Cables’ public safety campaign through social media, local news media and boating related facilities from mid-December through to late January.
That’s the message in ‘Catch Fish, Not Cables’, Powerco’s public safety campaign specially for the Pauanui and Tairua communities.
Powerco’s General Manager Health and Safety, Julie McAvoy, says with this holiday season expecting to be a bumper one in the area, particularly with people returning to holiday homes following Covid-19 Alert Level lockdowns, it’s timely to remind boaties of what’s below.
“While local boaties are no doubt well aware that marine power cables span the waterway between Tairua and Pauanui, visitors may not be,” Julie McAvoy says.
One power cable lies on the seabed at the entrance to Pauanui Waterways, with another between Pleasant Point and Tairua. While that one is buried in the sand, the Pauanui Waterways’ cable lies on the seabed.
“The cables are marked with warning signs onshore and by buoys on the water.
“Like with overhead power lines, there’s potential for electric shock with marine cables. To stay safe, it’s important to keep vessels well clear of the marine cables and not anchor near them. Damaging them could not only be a safety risk to people on the vessel but could potentially disrupt Pauanui community’s power supply over the busy summer period,” Julie McAvoy says.
The marine cable closest to Pauanui Waterways is the main power supply to Pauanui and is required for busy peak holiday period use.
If you suspect you’ve snagged a cable, don’t try to free it. The safest thing to do is record your position, abandon your gear, and contact Powerco’s emergency line 0800 27 27 27.
The Tairua and Pauanui communities can catch reminders of the ‘Catch Fish, Not Cables’ public safety campaign through social media, local news media and boating related facilities from mid-December through to late January.