Cruise ship bypasses Napier in brewing coastal storm

A fisherman braves weather on Pacific Beach, a few hundred metres south of Napier Port. Photo / Doug Laing

One of the biggest cruise ships on the New Zealand coast this summer bypassed Napier on Friday because of adverse weather on the east coast.

The Grand Princess, which has a capacity of 3100 passengers, advised Napier Port on Thursday that because of the forecast it had been decided to clear East Cape ahead of the storm and head for Tauranga, its next scheduled stop.

It is scheduled to be back in Napier on December 8, with five other stops at the port through to early April.

While the Port is experiencing one of its busier weeks, a spokesperson said there were not expected to be other disruptions to shipping. The next cruise ship visit is that of the Westerdam, with about 1900 passengers, scheduled for a stopover of less than 12 hours next Wednesday.

A strong wind advisory was in place for the sea off the Hawke's Bay and Mahia-Gisborne coast, forecasting easterlies rising to 30 knots and gusting up to 40 knots east of Napier to Wairoa in the afternoon, along with a southerly swell up to 2.5 metres.

Hawke's Bay was under a "heavy rain watch" issued by MetService, forecasting heavy rain in the 13 hours from 11am Friday to midnight, possibly reaching flood warning levels.

But people would be facing some change, with the maximum temperature in Napier on Friday expected to be 18C, ahead of a fine Saturday with temperatures up to 26C.

It was one of three rain alerts for the area from Hawke's Bay to Bay of Plenty, with others in force further north amid yet another of 2022's drenchings.

Event organisers were crossing their fingers, with the Central Hawke's Bay A and P Show underway in Waipukurau, a representative cricket match between Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, and a "Madd Fun" Kite and Picnic day on Saturday at Mitre 10 Regional Sports Park in Hastings. On Sunday the Mega Walk from Hastings to Napier and the Waipukurau Cup race meeting in Hastings are both scheduled.