At 5:20pm on 3 June 2011 I was on a ferry crossing the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland. The crewman said that the winds were at 40 knots (72kph). Looking at the Beaufort Scale he was probably correct.

We were steaming into the wind and I was standing on the foredeck next to a bicycle that had one handlebar hooked over a rail. The bike was broadside to the wind and was picked up so that both wheels were off the deck: it was swinging by the handlebar. At the same time another cyclist’s helmet started blowing around the foredeck. The bike was worth more and I could not safely let go of the rail so I saved the bike; thankfully the helmet stayed on board.

A little while later I was at Cheltenham Beach, where the wind was blowing onshore. Walking into the wind was mildly difficult and there was no shortage of fresh air.

There was no real drama in travelling on the ferry, but the sea and wind conditions outside the harbour were severe and no recreational craft were in sight. Ferries to Waiheke Island were operating. Sailing beyond Waiheke would have been an interesting experience.

I don’t think we are supposed to get much compared to Northland, Coromandel etc. but it is pretty wild out there. We are in West Harbour and it is howling at times. A bit of damage to the garden already and glass in kitchen window is not making a very encouraging sound- watching it bow with the gusts. Last time we had this much wind it was gusting 120/130 k’s so that would be my guesstimate for tonight. Hope everyone that has to be out driving in this keeps safe for the long weekend! 🙂

not surprised, though as it has been incredibly windy and gusty – the lid blew right off our spa, this has never happened before!!