Beach Monitoring to Better Plan for the Future by Tony Stickley
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Issue 944 - 6 April 2021 Phone (07) 866 2090 Circulation 8,000 Beach monitoring to better plan for the future By Tony Stickley Beach art created over Easter at the southern end of Buffalo Beach in Whitianga, close to the Whitianga Harbour Entrance. Records showed that there had been a significant build-up of sand at this part of the beach over the last 40 years. Changes to the shoreline of 17 beaches along have occurred over the years. storms and changes in climate patterns It said that local councils needed to the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula In a recent indicator update report, over longer time periods. “Houses and understand the extent of natural beach change are being regularly monitored in a bid to WRC said that its database of shoreline infrastructure that have been built close to “sustainably guide” existing and new help local authorities better plan for the change helped planners considering the to the sea are vulnerable to these natural developments in these areas. future. Recently a Waikato Regional Council impact of developments near the coast. fluctuations,” the report said. “Engineered A key focus of New Zealand’s Coastal survey team was busy measuring the dunes It noted that many of the Coromandel’s coastal structures such as seawalls are sometimes Policy Statement was reducing and, where along Buffalo Beach in Whitianga, one of housing developments had been built close to placed on the beach to protect at-risk assets, possible, avoiding coastal hazard risk and the beaches forming part of the monitoring the shoreline. but these can damage natural and recreational this was an important part of regional and programme. The information will be fed into Sandy beaches were naturally prone to values of the beach and can transfer the district council plans. “Shoreline change a long-standing database to see what changes changes in shoreline position due to major erosion risk to the adjacent coastline.” information is one tool that can be used to (Continued on page 3) Distributed throughout the Coromandel Peninsula, coast to coast from Thames to north of Colville - www.theinformer.co.nz Memories abound as family members remember Val White By Gillian O’Neill A talented, determined lady with a wicked sense quilting and her 25-year involvement with the of humour is how the family of the late Val RSA, including serving as treasurer. “She was White have been remembering the 99-year-old meticulous about that,” Erica says. “She was former Whitianga resident who passed away in never out by as much as a cent.” October last year. Val’s quilts were regularly donated to With planning underway to have a plaque for fundraising drives for the likes of the SPCA Val installed on the RSA memorial wall at the or St John. A true survivor, she recalled being Mercury Bay Cemetery, her daughter Erica, son at school and looking around to see all her Bob and their respective partners, Stan Dungan classmates lying on the ground after the Napier and Heidi Jeary, met up with Des Gyde from the earthquake struck in 1931. Her teacher was lost Mercury Bay RSA in Whitianga on Wednesday in the disaster. last week, sharing photographs and a colourful Driven by a desire to fly, Val joined the array of memories. New Zealand Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, From being crowned Miss New Zealand in reaching the rank of WA2 which Des describes 1940 to serving in the Air Force, there’s lots as someone who was experienced and “on the to chat about and Erica and Bob are rightfully way up.” proud of their mum’s accomplishments and Seven years ago, just before leaving Whitianga general approach to life. “She had it tough to move to Gisborne to be closer to her son, growing up,” Erica says. “Her mother died when Val spoke to The Informer and described her she was just three so she didn’t have it easy but time assisting with the building of Hudson and she never let it hold her back, her attitude was Hinds bombers as part of a team of 20 women always to just get on with things.” based at Ohakea who hand stitched linen over “She had no problem telling people what she the plywood frames of the aircraft. “I got invited thought, she had a strong mind and was very up in one of the planes I had helped to make independent,” Stan adds. and the captain asked me if I’d like to take the Val White (nee Des Landes) who passed away in October last year. The family say this resilient streak was part controls,” she remembered. “I flew it for about quilts. “She trained as a milliner and she would involved,” he says. of what kept Val in such good health until she half an hour, along the beach near Tangimoana. make the most amazing hats,” Erica says, As a result, Des is also looking forward to passed away peacefully in Gisborne. “She It was a wonderful experience.” Bob says it was noting how her mum took huge pride in her being able to install plaques for several other never had any medication, she was never sick,” one of the highlights of his mum’s life and her appearance, always endeavouring to look her former servicemen from the Whitianga area who Erica says. “She nearly made the hundred but eyes lit up whenever she talked about it. best. “Whenever there was a special occasion, have died in recent years. Erica says Val would just not quite.” If she was precise with her bookkeeping for she would make herself a new one.” have been delighted to know that her passing Born Valayo des Landes in Napier in 1921, the RSA, Val was equally conscientious about Des says he has loved getting to know Val’s had helped instigate others being recognised Val lived in Whitianga for 30 years, moving to her quilting. “If she wasn’t happy with it, family and learning more about her history alongside her. “She was clear about where the town with her husband, Bob, of the well- she would redo it,” Bob says. “Or she might which he has worked hard to research with she wanted to be on the wall too,” Erica says. known White family. “His predecessors had want a very particular colour and if she couldn’t assistance from a friend. “She was a remarkable “She said don’t put me on the edge because it built the stone store down by the Robinson find it, the quilt would go away in the cupboard. lady and since her family have been in touch might be cold.” Road boat ramp so they had a lot of history with It could be months later and she’d spot what she with me, I have also been finding out more Des has obliged and Val’s plaque, which will the area,” son Bob says. was looking for and then she’d get the quilt out about the process of getting plaques for the RSA be in place within the next few weeks, will go Val’s life in the Whitianga community and finish it.” wall at the Mercury Bay Cemetery made and the directly underneath her husband, Bob’s and particularly centred around her passion for But Val’s craft talents didn’t stop at just best people to deal with for the particular skills happily one in from the edge. What’s happening in the night sky? Night sky information provided and sponsored by Week of Wednesday, 7 April to Wednesday, 14 April - The Moon can help us find the constellations Capricorn and Gemini this month. Venus is now lost in the Sun’s glare until May, but early risers can see the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn very close together before sunrise low in the east. In the early evening, try comparing the colour of reddish Mars sitting very low in the NW just to the right of the red giant star Aldabaran in Taurus. Wednesday, 7 April - Saturn lies above and to the left of the Moon while Jupiter is directly below its crescent in the pre-dawn sky. All three lie in Capricorn today. Thursday, 8 April - Jupiter and Saturn sit above and to the left of the Moon in the morning sky. Saturday 10 April - A crescent Moon lies directly above faint Mercury low on the eastern dawn horizon with Jupiter and Saturn high above and with the International Space Station (ISS) joining the show Astronomy Tours and B&B from 6:01am in the SW before eventually passing just beside Saturn. Sunday, 11 April - Faint Mercury lies just below and to the left of the thin crescent Moon just before sunrise. The ISS will suddenly pop out of the Earth’s shadow about 5:15am just below the Southern Cross. Monday, 12 April - The ISS Phone (07) 866 5343 makes an early pass from 6:03am in the western sky. Tuesday, 13 April - Another early but bright ISS pass from 5:18am in the NW moving high overhead. www.stargazersbb.com Whitianga and Hot Water Beach tides Tides data sponsored by nzwindows.co.nz 4 Dakota Drive Whitianga Tel 07 869 5990 Page 2 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 944 - 6 April 2021 Beach monitoring (Continued from page 1) understand which areas of coastline are at Coromandel that form part of the monitoring risk from erosion due to natural processes programme are Whiritoa, Whangamata, over decades,” the report said. Onemana, Opoutere, Pauanui, Tairua, While the data showed that, in general, Hot Water Beach, Hahei, Cooks Beach, the position of the dune toe along the Maramaratotara (Front Beach), Buffalo Beach Coromandel’s east coast beaches fluctuated, (including Brophy’s Beach), Wharekaho, there was “no clear widespread long-term Opito Bay, Kuaotunu East, Kuaotunu West, (permanent) shoreline change.” “While most Matarangi and Whangapoua.