Brrrracing surf freezes out holiday swimmers

By ANNE BESTON and KEVIN TAYLOR

If taking the plunge seems a little chillier than usual this year, it is.

The sea temperature is between 1 and 2 degrees colder than normal.

The air temperature is colder, too, with snow on Mt Taranaki down to 1500m, rain and fog prevalent and cold snaps sending people inside on New Year's Eve.

A dusting of snow fell on the Ruahine Ranges in the central North Island, and cars were dented by giant hailstones in coastal Canterbury.

The sea temperature on both coasts of the North Island is officially 1 degree colder than usual. But lifeguards at some of the North Island's most popular swimming spots reckon it is at least 2 degrees cooler.

Whangamata Surf Lifesaving Club patrol captain Wayne Lee said that on a hot day during the holidays the beach could attract up to 40,000 people - but at lunchtime yesterday only 300 were there.

"It's been like this for the last week and a half."

At Waihi Beach, just 200 people braved the waves - 10,000 normally visit at peak holiday time.

Pauanui Surf Lifesaving Club head guard Dean Plumridge said showers, cold winds and cool seas had deterred people from heading to the beach, even though coastal resorts were crowded.

But the cooler water was probably keeping sharks away, he said.

Even at Hot Water Beach numbers were down, with about 1000 people there yesterday, a fifth of the usual turnout at this time of year.

At Mangawhai Heads south of Whangarei, lifeguard patrol captain Lloyd Herbert said only 100 people were on the beach yesterday.

And only a handful of those were in the water.

Dr Jim Salinger, of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, said it was hard to say why the sea was colder than normal.

"Why oceans warm up and cool down we don't fully understand, but sea temperatures have been below average around the North Island," he said.

A change to more settled weather by the end of the month would bring warmer water, and the sea would, as usual, be at its warmest when everyone had gone back to work.

"Going on holiday at this time of year is just crazy."

MetService forecaster Janet Syme said a high-pressure area parked in the Tasman Sea was in no hurry to move on to New Zealand, but the weather should be mainly fine over the next few days.

Today's forecast is for fine weather in the North Island, with possible showers in eastern areas and the Far North.

Tomorrow should be mostly fine over the North Island, with showers in Gisborne and the south of the South Island.

Thursday should also be fine, but with cloud increasing over the South Island. On Friday showers will return in the southwest of the North Island, from Taranaki to Wellington.

Ms Syme could not forecast as far ahead as the weekend, but Dr Salinger said it should be mostly fine.

Meanwhile, North Shore beaches have not been affected by the recent heavy showers in Auckland and are open for swimming, according to the Auckland and North Shore City Councils' Safeswim toll-free number.

Data for Auckland beaches should be ready for the weekend. Ring 0800 SAFESWIM (0800-7233-7946).