Wānaka’s waterways have been busier than Queenstown’s so far this summer season, but most users have been compliant with safety rules, harbourmaster Ricky Campbell says.

This past Monday (January 3) was the busiest day on the water so far this summer, and 422 people floated down the Clutha River from the Outlet to the Albert Town bridge on January 1.

“Everyone’s doing a good job, everyone’s doing the right thing,” Ricky told the Wānaka App

“There are very few we actually have to speak to about offending. It’s been remarkably quiet.”

One of the biggest issues for the regulatory team has been jet skis taking off at high speed from the beach or jet skis too close to shore.

There are no powered craft allowed from the Outlet to the Albert Town bridge until April. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Ricky said the Cougar Security waterways team, which is contracted by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), has been educating those people. “A lot of them we talk to once and then they are compliant,” he said.

Boaties have also “been pretty good”, and the harbourmasters have only dealt with two boats that haven’t had observers in them for water skiers.

“On the regulatory side we’ve seen some interesting activity in the middle of the lake and we have had to point out to a few jet skiers that they have to be 50 metres apart.”

The waterways team has a jet ski available for the Clutha River permanently, and staff take four to five trips up the river a day, from half an hour to an hour.

“There have been a few non-compliant jet boats and jet skis down the Clutha River,” Ricky said. 

He reminded people there are no powered craft allowed from the Outlet to the Albert Town bridge from December 1 to April. 

Swimmers leap into the Clutha River during the holiday season. PHOTO: Wānaka App

The only exceptions are commercial operators Go Jet and Lakeland, and the harbourmasters on their jet skis.

“Most people are generally good when we speak to them. We’ve had a few people who get to the bridge and see the sign and go “woops”,” he said, but they have also “caught a few people trying to go up and down twice”.

There have been plenty of people floating down that stretch of river on inflatables, including a giant yellow unicorn.

“On the first [January 1] Rhythm & Alps emptied out and there were 422 people floating along that stretch of the river,” Ricky said.

Only 20 were not wearing life jackets. 

“One of those was a group of eight all floating together. They paddled ashore and took the walking track, and we saw them later floating down the river all wearing life jackets.”

Last month the QLDC sought confirmation from Cougar that there would be no loss of service following the resignation of Wānaka harbourmaster Jeff Donaldson and Cougar’s failure to recruit two other qualified locals to the position.

Read more: Crunch time for waterways

Ricky said Cougar’s operations are “put together differently under the new contracts”, with the QLDC doing a lot more services in house.

“Our job really boils down to navigational marking and navigational safety; water safety, speed offshore, life jackets and that kind of stuff.”

Ricky said the waterways team has a land base at Roy’s Bay, with two staff as well as a Maritime New Zealand presence. 

The team has been handing out new brochures printed this year which show the layout of the lake and the various restrictions and expectations. 

They are also offering free giveaways such as dry bags and lolly bags for the kids. 

“We want to be more approachable and open for the public to talk to us,” Ricky said.

“We’ve had a lot of people come and talk to us, for example wanting to know how to use a water ski lane, how far off shore they should be, and seeking general information.”

Ricky said there is a harbourmaster in Wānaka at all times and three waterways officers on the water. The team has three jet skis on Lake Wānaka, and staff visit Lake Hāwea three times a day.