Opua busy as international boats land

Customs officer "Thomo" welcomes international sailors to New Zealand and checks to see if they have completed the necessary paperwork for arrival in Opua.Photo / John Stone

It's rush hour on the high seas as international boaties make their way to New Zealand - with the bulk of small craft sailing into Opua to clear Customs.

About 500 international yachties are expected in New Zealand this summer with 80 per cent making their first landfall in the Bay of Islands.

Last week 68 international vessels arrived in Opua and more than 60 were due this week. To ensure no illegal drugs, people or banned native birds and animals cross New Zealand borders a team of highly experienced Customs officers are out on the water on their vessel Hawk IV during the peak flow checking the incoming traffic.

Last season, of the 647 small craft arriving in New Zealand 431 cleared Customs at Opua. Another 90 sailed into Marsden Cove to check off paper work.

The crew aboard Customs vessel Hawk IV make sure they sail straight to a port - and not to a distant bay for some clandestine activity.

Chief Customs officer Nick Sparey said international yachts sail to New Zealand between October and mid-December to beat the hurricane season and usually leave between mid-April and early June. Of the seven boats checked on Monday all but one had complied with the regulations and sent paper work to Opua from the port at which they departed.

"Just like at airports people have to fill out departure and arrival cards so do these international sailors," he said.

The Hawk and its four-strong crew spend most of their time patrolling the coastline from Coromandel north, regarded as the number one risk area.

"Opua is the busiest port for overseas yachts."

Mr Sparey said a shipment of drugs like cocaine was the biggest threat but there had been no interceptions off Northland. It was likely New Zealand would be used as a transit port by criminals intent on making it to Australia. However, smaller amounts of drugs could be dumped in New Zealand.

The launch is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. The Hawk crew greet the international sailors and at Opua resident Customs officer Gary Burton makes a thorough search and sometimes the boats are checked by a drug sniffer dog.