‘Pretty sad story being kicked out of harbour’

Experienced mariner Mark Hammond and his vessel Maia face having to leave Dunedin’s Steamer Basin marina and Otago Harbour. The former expedition vessel Maia is closest to the wharf. PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY/PETER MCINTOSH

And he has nowhere else in the harbour to go.

"It’s a pretty sad story being kicked out of the harbour we’ve been in for 30 years," Mr Hammond said.

He is being required to leave by Port Otago by the end of the month, because the marina, which has fallen into disrepair, is to be demolished.

After receiving a termination notice on December 1, he considered shifting his 40-tonne, 18m-long former expedition vessel, now used for recreation, to Careys Bay.

Dunedin’s Steamer Basin marina

However, Port Otago has since advised that part of that wharf will also be demolished in future, although it will still accommodate fishing vessels.

"We were shocked and horrified as it was without prior consultation. It would cause huge disruption to next year’s plans," he said about the termination notice.

When he inquired, he was told the only other facility, at Careys Bay, was "also to be demolished, excepting some berths for the few fishing boats, casting adrift at least a dozen other boats".

Eight vessels were moored at the Steamer Basin marina two years ago, but only about four remained.

Dunedin deputy mayor Christine Garey is a former chairwoman of the Otago Peninsula Community Board and, for five years, through the board, made repeated submissions to the Otago Regional Council annual plan seeking more support for recreational boat users.

The board also sought more of a balance between Port Otago’s mainly commercial brief and the needs of recreational users.

Some submissions were accepted and navigation markers had been upgraded and a harbourmaster appointed to consider the harbour’s overall needs, she said.

There was awareness of the recreational boating issues and goodwill from the company and chief executive Kevin Winders.

She wanted to "look forward" and it was time to form a long-term plan to meet the overall needs of our "beautiful harbour".

Some positive things had happened, including support for pontoons at the peninsula, but the loss of facilities at the marina and Careys Bay was of concern.

Mr Hammond had helped by highlighting harbour issues, and everyone "should work together to progress the harbour edge situation", she said.

Mr Hammond was an "incredibly experienced" captain and had made a significant contribution to the city, and she hoped people of goodwill would help him to remain.

She urged the city’s recreational boat owners to lobby the regional council to ensure the needs of recreational boat owners were catered for.

Otago Yacht Club caretaker-manager Barry Gibbs agreed with Cr Garey that recreational boat owners should combine to make submissions to the Dunedin City Council and regional council.

There was strong demand for the few moorings available at the club, and Otago was falling behind other harbours in its "parks" for recreational and visiting boats.

Although costly, a new marina would be popular and attract more out-of-town visitors, he said.

Mr Winders acknowledged issues Cr Garey had raised previously, saying progress had been achieved and he agreed with her approach.

He referred other matters to company general manager marine Sean Bolt, who had been dealing with Mr Hammond.

Mr Bolt said the Steamer Basin marina had reached its "use-by date", it was in a poor state and there was a safety issue.

Fishing vessels would continue to be accommodated at Careys Bay, but this area would offer only a "very short-term solution" for Maia, perhaps for six months.

Port Otago was continuing to think about the future, and had already indicated that an area near Kitchener St was a potential future site for a marina, he said.

Mr Hammond said he had based commercial vessels in the harbour since 1988 through his company Discovery Maritime Ltd.

He had initially skippered the sailing ship Tradewind to the Subantarctic Islands and elsewhere on expeditions, and had operated the research vessel Geomarine from 1995.

Maia was built in Dunedin as an expedition vessel and started operations from the city in 2005.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz