High seas thrill onlookers
BY EMMA DANGERFIELD
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Kaikoura
High tide and even higher seas caused some excitement from Kaikoura north on Monday as coastal roads were battered and debris was strewn across the Esplanade and highway.
Surfers made the most of the conditions at Gooch's Beach, which occur only a couple of times a year, and although it looked rather ominous the sea produced some nice waves.
Sam Highet, visiting from Wellington, caught a few waves but said it was hard work getting out through the surf and dealing with the powerful swell.
Further up the coast at Waipapa Bay Camp, Sheryl Hayman said the sea was unusually big.
"In 10 years I can only remember it being this big once," she said. "And that would have been eight years ago."
Ms Hayman said she had come from Blenheim earlier in the day and the sea was huge around Kekerengu which was quite awesome.
"It's great – you need something to add a bit of excitement to life every now and then, don't you!"
Kaikoura's emergency management officer Don Clark said on Monday afternoon that while the sea was big, high tide had passed and with it the threat of any more serious damage or road closures.
Kaikoura Coastguard president John Macphail said the area did get high seas like those on Monday from time to time, but he agreed it did look quite impressive.
"With the high tides and large swells it looks almost like tsunami country," he said. "In fact it looks much more impressive than the tsunami last week!"
Mr Macphail said Monday's high seas could probably just be put down to a low pressure phenomenon.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Great photo Emma. Well done!