KITEBOARDING Outlook is fine

FORECASTERS are promising a spell of golden weather over Northland during the Easter break, with only a small chance of brief showers on Sunday.
There's good news too for contestants of the Kiteboarding Nationals at Ruakaka - that's a high-adrenaline sport in which a surfboard rider speeds across the water, powered by a parasail-type kite - with brisk, 15-knot (28kmh) southeasterlies predicted for Good Friday.
But they'd better get their kiteboarding in tomorrow, because on Saturday and Monday the wind is expected to be light, with a northeasterly picking up slightly on Sunday.
More than 80 of the country's top kiteboard riders will compete in the event, with the wind direction dictating which of One Tree Point West, Marsden Bay and Mair Rd beaches are used.
MetService weather spokesman Bob McDavitt said the best place to be in Northland for sunbathing and swimming would be the east coast. Surfers should head to the west coast with some swell due to arrive on Sunday, continuing on Monday and accompanied by southerly winds.
Dr McDavitt said delayed winter fronts would make the golden weather last long into the autumn.
With a national competition coming up at Ruakaka this weekend, the Department of Conservation has been looking into whether kiteboarding disturbs the area's birdlife.
A pair of Bream Bay environmentalists describe the sport as "terrifying for shorebirds" and have voiced their concerns with the department.
Spokesman Reuben Williams said DOC had spoken to scientists and looked at research, but found no proof the birds were disturbed by the sport.
He said DOC was seeking "middle ground" between the kiteboarders and environmentalists. Local kiteboarders had been co-operative and were doing all they could to minimise disturbance to wildlife, he said.