Living in New Zealand: Wild Swimming Safely Is Hard When There Are Idiots on Jet Skis

In the summer I usually swim loads  in Lyttelton Harbour. But it has been an odd summer with too many cool, windy days and the Lyttelton Port Company have been dredging the inner harbour through January and February, our prime swimming months. Plus I have been exceptionally busy in the garden sorting out my new studio. A lot of excuses! But I did swim a lot when I was on Quail Island as volunteer DOC warden. And it reminded me just how much I loathe jet-skis.

Click to see options for using the image

Jet-skis are an abomination and I wish they were only ever used by trained lifeguards (not by bevvied-up blokes and their 10 year old kids, neither of whom know the regulations.)

The speed limit near swimmers is 5 knots, but many boaties and jetskiers ignore this in New Zealand

Whenever I'm swimming I and I see jet-skis I think about poor Kirsty MacColl and I have terrible, murderous thoughts.

At least (for now) you can find places without jetskiers.

Cormorant at Quail Island

Reasons to Be Cheerful - Cold Water Dips in a Seawater Pool

Click to see options for using this image

The Motueka estuary is an important area for lots of birds (the most celebrated are the godwits). When I was at the tidal pool there was a white heron perched by the pool and a kingfisher was a repeat visitor to a little log that stuck out of the mud.

Being midwinter in New Zealand, it is not really the time to be swimming in tidal pools. But whenever I'm in a situation like this there is a voice in my head (my sister’s) that tells me I should go in. So I did.

It was bloody freezing.