Sea Spray bach, with owner Jack Jones facing out the seaward side. Credit: Mark Jones
Sea Spray bach, with owner Jack Jones facing out the seaward side. Credit: Mark Jones
For a number of years, a row of baches/houses in Haumoana, on the seaside of Clifton Rd have taken a battering from the sea.
In April 2021 it was announced that a 100m seawall will be built by Hastings District Council to protect their sections.
Many will be aware of the sea battered and bruised bach at No 3 Clifton Rd – nicknamed the "caddy shack", and its recent demolition to make way for the seawall.
Two doors down is another bach at 7 Clifton Rd, named "Sea Spray". It too has taken somewhat of a hiding from the sea over the years.
Sea Spray began its life as an old army hut on a property in Haumoana that was used as a shearers' quarters.
Hastings businessman Ernie Mintoft, of Freeman Motors, had shifted the hut on to No 7 Clifton Rd in the late 1940s.
Many may remember John Jones (Jack) as the owner of Monarch Motors in Hastings from 1938 to 1967, and as Hastings Motors Ford from 1967 to 1998. (Jack was also part of the comedic duo, many may also recall of "The Two Jacks" with Jack Baxter.
Jack and his wife Joan would purchase Sea Spray from Ernie Mintoft in the early 1950s. His children Paul, Mark, (who many will know from taking over Hastings Motors from their father) Joanna and Jackie have vivid memories of staying at the family bach over summers until the late 1970s.
When the Jones family took over there was only a "long drop" in the back yard – but upon enclosing the front veranda portion of the building with louvre windows, a luxury of an indoor toilet was built.
Clive Grange (changed to Haumoana) seen here in the early 1900s, was a popular seaside location. Credit: Michael Fowler collection
While it might appear that the battle between sea and land witnessed at Clifton Rd over the past 20 or so years is a recent thing, there has been a constant battle to keep the sea at bay – although not as bad as in recent memory.
Photographs from the Joneses' family album from the 1950s show railway lines with tyres in an attempt to protect their properties. At some point a concrete wall was put up in front of their neighbour, David Bawden's house.
The storm of 1974, which wreaked havoc with floods all over Hawke's Bay, ferocious seas destroyed the Bawdens' concrete wall in three places and inflicted damage on the baches.
Shingle thrown from the sea piled so high against Sea Spray that the Jones family maintain you could step up onto the roof on it. Mark Jones gathered his rugby mates to shovel it away. Damage was done to the louvre windows and the front of the bach.
Joanna can remember her father saying on occasion, "Look this wave's going to be a big one," to see it wash under the house and spill out onto Clifton Rd. Reflecting in 2021, she was surprised they stayed in the bach during such high seas.
At one point the beach outside the baches – in fact from the mouth of the Tuki Tuki river to Cape Kidnapper was a sandy beach. During their time at Sea Spray, the family recall this diminishing to be seen only at low tide. Family games of cricket could easily be held on the beach.
Across the road was the Watene family who operated a grocery store. They had some holiday accommodation at the back of the property. In the space between these buildings and the shop, the Joneses were allowed to play cricket when the tide was in.
Swimming of course, was a common activity, and the beach could be treacherous as the sea dipped suddenly, before rising to a sand bar. Joanna (Jones) remembers being rescued by her sister Jackie while she bobbed up and down with her arm raised to attract attention.
Paul Jones was an avid fisherman, and in the days of his childhood, unlike today – fishing was plentiful.
On one occasion Paul went out "floundering", on a Sunday afternoon - that is wading out with some friends in the sea with a large net. They caught around 120 flounders – so the baches along Clifton Rd were well supplied with fish for a couple of days.
Using a set line from shore, Paul once caught 17 snapper.
Jack Jones was also fond of fishing – and with his friends would go around to Clifton to fish off what was known as "Poor Man's Point". It was called this as the owner of the Clifton Motor Camp would charge a shilling to enter, and the men, not wanting to be charged – fished just outside the camp.
The Jones family have fond memories of Sea Spray and are pleased that the Haumoana sea wall is going ahead, which will hopefully give a new breath of life for Sea Spray, which has received a little more than the mist of the sea over the past 15 or so years.
The Jones family sold Sea Spray in the late 1970s after owning the property for nearly 30 years.
• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher and commercial business writer of Hawke's Bay history. Follow him on facebook.com/michaelfowlerhistory
