Safety

Windsurfing Event safety check-out / check-in board

At the recent Eastbourne Windsurfing Fun Slalom event we trialled a check-out / check-in board system for managing safety. I first encountered this at the National Slalom event in Dunedin and it worked well, so I decided to try it here. It worked well so here's the details on how to make and use your own (total cost $6)

Windsurfing Schools - Adventure Activities Regulations 2011 update

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment: We're seeking further information because you've notified that you're an operator of an adventure activity - surfing, wind surfing or kite surfing - but you may not need to register with the Ministry. (read more)

Westpac Chopper Challenge completed

After a couple of months of indifferent weather and a couple of attempts coming up short I have finally managed to complete my 100km challenge! Feels good, and I recommend something similar to others as a way to raise funds for a charity. Look foward to me issuing some sort of challenge next year! (read on for details)

Coastguard Coastal Medic Course

Sat 1 Sep 2012 - Sun 2 Sep 2012

Wellington

Wellington Ocean Sports will be running a Coastguard Coastal Medic Course over the weekend of 1 and 2 September and there are several places available for booking. This course offers participants the qualifications of Coastguard Boating Education Service Marine Medic (Coastal), NZQA units 6400, 6401, 6402 and Maritime New Zealand commercial first aid. It should be a prerequisite for anyone involved in ocean sports.

Westpac Chopper Appeal. Every little bit helps.

Your donation matters - whether it pays for a winch bolt, some medical scissors or something bigger, every little bit helps us keep the life saving Rescue Choppers in the air.

Water Safety NZ - Tis The Season To Remember Water Safety

Last summer, ten New Zealanders drowned between 4pm Christmas Eve and 6am January 5th. In a year that has already seen 117 Kiwis lose their lives to drowning (30 more than last year’s total figure), Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) is calling for caution and reminding holidaymakers about the basic water safety precautions.

Actions and Advice on Aquaculture

Yachting New Zealand has received a lot of feedback from our recent position paper on aquaculture. It is great that while publicising the issues and our position on this subject that we are also raising awareness.

YNZ encourage clubs to get in contact with their regional council to see how they can have input in to the process. This could be done in a number of ways including suggesting changes to the Regional Coastal Plan, being added to the Interested Parties list for new applications, or making submissions on applications in your area.

What's in the water? A survey of recreational users of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai

You are invited to participate in the project by completing this electronic questionnaire.
The aim of the project is to take a snapshot of the following-
What do recreational users (e.g. wind surfers, walkers, shell fish collectors) of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai know about microbiological water pollution
What factors influence their decisions about water quality to undertake recreational activity
To what extent do recreationists utilise information provided by sources such as the regional council and recreation clubs.
As a recreational user of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai (the Estuary) over the age of 16 years, participation in this project will involve the completion of this online survey that should not take any longer than 10-15 minutes.
More details and survey

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES REGULATIONS have been approved by cabinet

Cabinet has approved regulations to improve safety in the commercial adventure tourism and outdoor education industries, which will come into effect on 1 November 2011. The regulations sit under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 requiring commercial adventure tourism and outdoor education operators in New Zealand who provide activities that are designed to deliberately expose participants to a managed risk of serious harm, to undergo a safety audit and be registered.

Rena disaster - what can you do to help?

Anyone wishing to help the oil recovery effort or report oil should contact 0800 645 774.
Maritime New Zealand are urging people stay off local beaches, saying those ''playing with oil'' and attempting to clean it up are hampering the official Rena response team. Sightings of any affected wildlife should be reported it to 0800 333 771.