Swell news as divers resume building reef

Divers have resumed construction of the artificial surf reef at Mount Maunganui today, despite Monday's big setback when the barge holding the main pump grounded close to shore.

Bay Underwater Services divers were today using a much smaller capacity pump to fill six of the smallest geo- textile bags that partly make up the left-hand side of the reef being built 250m offshore from Tay St.

Reef trust spokesman David Neilson said there were already signs of an effect on the swell, although nothing that would make any difference to surfers.

Mr Neilson said that in the quiet conditions, it was more like whitish aerated water appearing on the surface along the length of the bags.

Filling the four big bags will need the large capacity pump on the barge which lost both of its anchor legs on Monday, ending up beached.

It was towed to safety on Monday and was today due to be pushed up on to the small beach at the southern end of the Harbour Bridge Marina to allow engineers to investigate a better system to quickly lift the anchor legs in an emergency.

There was no room on the 600-tonne slip for the barge to be repaired until later in the week.

Divers also salvaged the big suction pipe sections from the seabed.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES