EBOP Matata and Opotiki DF65 Sailing News
Matata - Alan M
Several weeks a digger was working at the Matata Lagoon.
On investigation I found that all of the raupo on the northern side, and much of the southern (highway) side has been removed.
We have sailed opposite the coffee shop and the pub where we can safely walk into the water to launch our boats.
There is a heavy steel grating below the water surface to provide a firm footing
and a 500mm deep channel into the lake for launching/retrieval.
To minimise any local objection we haven’t used our original yellow buoys for racing marks,
but we have been given ten duck shooting decoys and these have been modified with permanent internal floatation,
a vertical stick keel, chain weight and our standard anchor.
Seven of these have been installed in the lake,
two brown ducks on the start line,
two brown ducks as a gate to the west and
two mallards to the east,
and the seventh as a ‘wing mark’ over by ‘Nessie’ the resident taniwha.
They have already been adopted by the wild ducks on the lagoon,
so when sailing, the one that doesn’t move, is the one you go around!
Please patronise the local little coffee shop, fish and chip shop and dairy (and the pub)
whenever possible and also pick up any rubbish you see so that we keep the area clean.
We will be organising a sailing day as soon as the weather permits
- next week hopefully -
so will be in touch.
Parking the lagoon side of the road, back towards Tauranga
so that the area opposite to the small coffee shop remains clear for their numerous patrons
As soon as the weather improves we’ll organise a day’s sailing.
See photo at the bottom of this page
Opotiki - Denis L
We are getting it happening in Opotiki.
Usually Sundays but this one looks off because of the weather.
At present we have 4 or 5 boats.
It is best here 2 hours before high tide.
While the water is mostly fresh,
the current can be a bit of a challenge after high tide,
but OK if there is plenty of wind.
Heavy rain can mess it up too,
but a high river level seems to clear in a day.
The best way to get to the wharf is to drive up the main street of Opotiki. That’s Church St, on the left as you come in along the road from the big bridge. Follow Church St straight past the roundabout with the monument and take the second street on the left. Wharf Rd. Only about 200 meters from, take a turn on the left which takes you over the stop bank to the wharf and a launching ramp. Tons of parking there. We shall set a course upstream from there.