Already under attack from Raglan residents over mismanagement of the Raglan bus service, now EW* is being criticised for its poor management of Raglan Harbour. Local resident Inger Vos recently discovered that the quite bay near her home used by swimmers and kayakers has been designated by EW as a ski lane. This occurred some years ago but has only recently come to the notice of local residents. The EW zone map for the harbour also shows that this is a transit zone for boats. The lane runs from the Dough Boys (Tokatara Rocks) to Moonlight Bay. In a half page article in the Waikato Times, Inger Vos says that the 77 metre wide ski lane in Raglan is not a good fit. She recently found about the ski lane when two black and red striped poles appeared in the habour. It appears that a kayaker found in the zone can be fined $200. But on the other hand WDC bylaws means that noise from boats towing skiers has to be under 50dB and Inger points out that they would usually exceed that level. So between them these two local government organisations appear to have created a zone that can not be used by anybody! The article is the first step in campaign by local residents to get the ski lane removed.
The other designated water ski areas in the harbour are on the northern side of Kopua, the southern side of Rangitito Point and north east of Motukokako Point.
*EW – the local government organisation known as Environment Waikato that has recently reverted to its formal name of Waikato Regional Council.