Harbourmaster Grant Nalder on swim floats, boats, buoys, and the vital role of communication

Wellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder oversees navigation in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. That involves monitoring the movement of vessels (ships, boats, waka, etc.), managing marker buoys, and also, increasingly, looking out for ocean swimmers. On this episode we talk about:- the role of the Harbourmaster- the importance of swimmers being visible to boats (tow floats are mandatory for swimmers who are more than 200m offshore – see the bylaw details below), and also the need for boaties to be aware of swimmers- the near miss one swimmer, who was new to the area, had with a ferry in 2024 when they inadvertently swam in the shipping channel- the water features enjoyed by swimmers in Oriental Bay (pontoons, buoys, the Carter saltwater fountain, Pt Jerningham Lighthouse)- the pink swim buoys being added to the Oriental Bay swim route – breaking news on the podcast!My favourite tip: strap a whistle to your wrist. It's easier for boats to hear a whistle than if you shout, and you can raise the alarm too if you're in trouble.For questions or thoughts on this episode, leave a comment or email [email protected] You can contact the Wellington Harbourmaster via:[email protected] Wellington 04 384 5708Harbour radio (urgent) 04 473 4547Keep up to date with local goings-on via the Wellington Ocean Swimmers Facebook group (public group)Greater Wellington Navigation Bylaws (PDF) –'Swimmers more than 200 metres from shore must tow a bright-coloured safety float or swim buoy and brightly coloured swim cap (if worn), unless accompanied by a support craft.'*Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)