BOAT HARBOUR FOR MILFORD YACHTSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 159, 26 September 1927, Page 9

BOAT HARBOUR FOR MILFORD YACHTSMEN

WAIRAU ESTUARY UNIQUE NATURAL SITE The Milford Cruising Club, which, in four years, has grown from a membership of three boats to 27, has a proposal afoot to utilise as a boat harbour the Wairau estuary, at the northern end of Milford beach. The natural advantages of protected waters, easy hauling-up ground and fresh water all contribute to make the proposed harbour an ideal one. As a result of the scour following the construction of the Inga Road bridge the creek channel is gradually deepening, so that in the near future there will be 6ft of water in the estuary at low tide, sufficient to accommodate most small boats and all launches. The Wairau is H hours’ boat travel close:: to Kawau and the northern gulf than the Waitemata Harbour, and this :.s considered a factor which will make an appeal to boatmen who at present moor their craft nearer Auckland. , .. In furtherance of the scheme the club called a meeting in its new clubhouse on the estuary bank on Saturday to consider launching a campaign to draw attention to the possibilities of the Wairau as a boat harbour. The Takapuna Borough Council was represented by Messrs. Malcolm) ano. Haw'S; the Waitemata Chamber of Commerce by the vice-president, Mr. S. Gee. who also represented the Milford Progressive Association; the North Shore Expansion League by the secretary, Mr. T. Walsh; and Major Wilkie Messrs. Warbrick, Somerville and Boadle were spokesmen for the Cl Asked for his opinion regarding the proposal the Takapuna borough engineer said that the club was fortunate in averting the disaster that would have occurred if the Craig Road lint had been followed by the bridge instead of the Inga Road hne. which would have resulted in the silting up of the estuary instead of scouring. Tie Wairau could easily accommodate 400 boats and, it was l ) oped ’ would ultimately become a launch - me n’s rendezvous. Development would not be costly. By running out a groyne at a future date the beach entrance wc-uld be made very safe and the \vall would cause the widening of MUfortl beach by 300 ft. Messrs. WUie, Malcolm and Hawes considered that the Milford people had been too modest and the time hail come to push the district’s advantages. Many men who owned boats would bo glacl to come and live there when they knew that a safe boat harbour existed. It v, as better than being -“bounded from pillar to post in the Waitemata. A request is to be made to the Taka - puna Borough Council to allow- the engineer to formulate a scheme to be carried out as circumstances permit. Mr. Warbrick is to discuss the pcssibilit ios with Auckland Club boatmen. Tne Takapuna Borough Council controls the creek-mouth, and no charges ate levied on boatmen who use it.