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Category Archives: Beaches

Water quality at Auckland beaches near perfect

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Published: 3:52PM Thursday September 04, 2014 Source: ONE News

Bethells Beach - Source: ONE News

Water quality at some of Auckland's beaches was near perfection last summer and greatly improved overall from the year before, a report says.

Armour Bay, Takapuna Beach, Big Bucklands Beach, Little Oneroa Beach, Blockhouse Bay and Bethells Beach came out on top when tested for water quality.

1,021 samples were taken from Auckland beaches as part of Auckland Council's Safeswim beach water quality programme.

The programme monitors water quality at 69 sites, taking samples once a week. According to the report, 92% of 1,401 water samples taken at Auckland's beaches for the summer period November to March met health guidelines.

Safeswim beaches and freshwater sites are selected for monitoring on the basis of their usage and history. Where issues are identified, health warning signs are promptly erected and re-tests are done; the signs remain up until the water is shown to be safe.

Last summer, the total number of days that warning signs stayed up reduced by 23%, compared to the previous 2012/13 swim season.

"This report is a reminder about the water quality improvements Auckland has made," says Wayne Walker, chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Natural Heritage committee.

"Protecting our coastline is a priority and will continue to be part of what Aucklanders cherish most about our city."

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Water quality at Auckland beaches near perfect

Beaches closed after great white shark attacks kayakers

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Plymouth officials closed the town's public beaches Thursday after a great white shark bit a kayak carrying a woman off White Horse Beach in Plymouth on Wednesday night.

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Two women, who were identified as Ida Parker and Kristin Orr, were taking pictures of seals about 150 yards offshore in separate kayaks, when the great white bit one off the kayaks.

"I looked back at her and it came directly out of the water, underneath the boat, launched her backwards and flipped me over," Parker said.

Both boats were overturned in the attack.

"It happened so fast," Orr said. "I was talking to her and the next minute I'm in the water and I just see a shark biting my kayak."

Parker described what it was like to come face-to-face with the shark.

"It was dark gray, pointy nose, big teeth, big eyes," Parker said. "It was like, right next to me. It was petrifying."

Parker and Orr, who were not injured, swam away, as did the shark.

A good Samaritan paddled out in his kayak to help, and the women were rescued by the Plymouth Harbormaster.

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Beaches closed after great white shark attacks kayakers

Kiwis vote to keep beaches free from rubbish

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Kiwis vote to keep beaches free from over a million litres of rubbish

More than 1,015,884 litres of rubbish has been collected from Kiwi beaches since 2009, equivalent to 31 full shipping containers of waste. Alarmed by this overwhelming statistic, Phoenix Organics has joined forces with Sustainable Coastlines and Tangaroa Blue Foundation to create The Love Project. This project aims to empower Kiwis to vote and help clean up our globally famous beaches.

Kiwis passionate about our clean and green image can visit Phoenixs Facebook page to vote for the beach they love the most and would like to keep clean. The Phoenix Love Project has contributed $40,000 to Sustainable Coastlines and Tangaroa Blue Foundation to complete beach cleanup projects over the summer months.

We are proud to partner with Phoenix to support their vision of being a business that strives to be good for the planet, they set an example that businesses can be sustainable and successful, says Heidi Taylor, CEO & Co Founder of Tangaroa Blue Foundation.

To launch the Phoenix Love Project across New Zealand and Australia, Phoenix has collaborated with three prominent artists and each artist has created a bespoke artwork inspired by their love of our planet to raise awareness and support the great work of the two charities. All artworks will be part of a limited edition series of bottles, using the three most loved Phoenix products to spread the good word - Phoenix Organic Cola, Lemonade and Ginger Beer. Artists involved include Mica Still from Wellington, Meghan Geliza from Auckland and Mulga from Sydney.

The Phoenix Love Project is a public shout out through art, replacing the usual drink labels with bottle-sized art, so that everyone can have a hand in being part of a national thank you for keeping our coasts clean, says Emma Punter Phoenix brand manager.

In celebration of The Love Project, people will also get the chance to be part of a live art installation in Auckland, late October with artists Meghan Geliza and Mica Still.

The three limited edition bottles are available in cafes now across New Zealand and Australia and will be available until late Spring.

Scoop Media

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Kiwis vote to keep beaches free from rubbish

High surf from Hurricane Norbert to hit Southern California coast

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Forecasters are warning of high surf, strong rip currents and the possibility of coastal flooding along Southland beaches as Hurricane Norbert intensifies off Baja California.

The surf, however, won't be nearly as awe-inspiring as it was last month when Hurricane Marie sent huge swells that pummeled Southern California's coastline with waves more than 20 feet high. Instead, the National Weather Service said the latest hurricane-generated swells may produce waves of 4 to 7 feet, particularly along south- and southwest-facing beaches.

A hazard notice for beaches will be in effect from 2 p.m. Thursday to 3 a.m. Tuesday, with swells peaking overnight Friday, the weather service said.

The weather service warned that high tides of between 6 and 7 feet could produce minor flooding in low-lying coastal areas.

There also will be a risk of "sneaker waves," so named for appearing out of nowhere and washing people off the shoreline. The threat is higher along steeply sloped beaches and on rocks and jetties near the waters edge.

The beaches that will be most impacted by the swells include Port Hueneme and Point Mugu in Ventura County, and Zuma Beach, the Malibu area and Long Beach through Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County.

The south and eastern shores of Catalina Island will also be "strongly affected," according to the National Weather Service. The island sustained heavy damage last month from swells generated by Hurricane Marie. TheCategory 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 157 mph was the strongest to hit theeastern North Pacific basin since Hurricane Celia in 2010.

Hurricane Norbert remains much smaller, but continued to gain steam early Thursday with sustained winds of 80 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It's expected to pass just west of the Baja peninsula Thursday afternoon and into Friday before heading out to sea.

For news as it happens in California, follow@JasonBretWells.

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High surf from Hurricane Norbert to hit Southern California coast

MTDC to focus on Mumbai, Aurangabad, wildlife and beaches, says Jagdish Patil – Video

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MTDC to focus on Mumbai, Aurangabad, wildlife and beaches, says Jagdish Patil
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) plans to pep up their tourism industry by focusing more on the wildlife, heritage and beaches in and around Maharashtra.

By: Zee News

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MTDC to focus on Mumbai, Aurangabad, wildlife and beaches, says Jagdish Patil - Video

Beaches pummelled by strong winds and surf

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Huge waves and strong winds battered Bondi on Wednesday.

Beaches along much of the NSW coast are copping a battering from gale-force winds generated by a deep low pressure system over the Tasman.

Sydney's beaches and the harbour were hit by wind gusts of as strong as 93km/h in the early hours of Wednesday, with Wattamolla to the city's south registering winds of 115km/h.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for the regions from the Illawarra up to the mid north coast.

Sightseers scramble to safety as big waves lash Dee Why beach. Photo: Nick Moir

"Very heavy surf, which may lead to localised damage and coastal erosion, is forecast for the Hunter and southern parts of the mid north coastduring Wednesday," the bureau said.

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Brett Dutschke, a senior meteorologist with Weatherzone, said that, by mid-morning, the winds had eased in the Sydney region but should pick up again in the afternoon.

"Beaches will continue to get a hammering throughout the day," Mr Dutschke said.

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Beaches pummelled by strong winds and surf


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