It’s a beautiful day on the Hauraki Gulf. Lots of boats out but no taskings so far. We’ve stopped for lunch at Tiritiri n Wharf

Sadly the missing boat and fishermen out of Pataua South (just north of Whangarei) has not had a good outcome so far. Here’s the FB post for Northland Coastguard Air Patrol where they detail their work. And some screenshots so you don’t have to go to FB www.facebook.com/share/p/1M34...

This PledgeMe campaign has both saddened me as Siouxsie has had to run it and mad me happy seeing the pledges rolling in. #kikorangi as Oli says let’s add $27k so it ticks over $200k!

I was looking for something else on the Coastguard Hibiscus facebook page and found this post from late June when we went to find a boat near Cape Colville that couldn't navigate. Reading the comments from our American friends is quite something ... www.facebook.com/share/v/16Gi...

The Niagara is still sitting, rusting on the seabed toward the northern edge of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and nothing has been done. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

This man knows what he is talking about.

Last weekend we lost propulsion on the port engine & had to limp home on one engine. Mānava came out of the water this morning at Gulf Harbour Marina & I was expecting major issues in the leg aka EXPENSIVE (la new leg!) but luckily it’s the bush that connects to prop to the driveshaft that was

As I said when I posted this earlier ... I don't always support LegaSeas position on things but in this case I do.

Happy Exploding Whale Day to all who "observe" it ... (Yes, this is an old one but everytime I see it I repost it)

The scammers are here ...

Looks like a lot of Aucklanders are still hoping to see bioluminescence. Stanmore Bay was the hot spot for Friday and we had our regular Coastguard training there tonight. Hundreds of hopeful people on the beach looking out to see. I think they are a day or two too late.

This is great. Sadly I won’t be able to make it to the Auckland events. waateanews.com/2025/11/08/l...

I’ve posted about Steve and Riley (and Young Ocean Explorers) before. Here’s a bit of a throwback video to when Steve was the first to film orca predating Eagle rays (which is unique to Aotearoa NZ). youtu.be/fPlAnWRuJiQ?...

Here comes the rain … (Just a little drizzle)

We set up #SecretSantaAoNZ to spread smiles and fun. We know that times change but our purpose doesn’t. If times are tough — which under this government is NO SURPRISE — please still be a part of this. We have options that you can sign up to & a lot of peeps happy to be Secret Santas! 🎁 🧑‍🎄 🎄🙌

NZ Fisheries changes: Submissions are open on proposals to (amongst other things) allow NZ commercial fishers to land and sell marlin and 20 reef species e.g. this list: www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/p... These species are easy to wipe out from a location and then won't return for some time.

Prominent New Zealander in the news again! I'm pleased I'm not a prominent New Zealander! (Especially not the one I suspect is the focus of this story) www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prominent...

1/ Coastguard pager app went off at 6:20pm last night "URGENT BOAT CALLOUT" for Hibiscus Rescue 2 (the Sealegs CRV in Stanmore Bay). I was at Arkles Bay with S enjoying the end of a sunny day so we quickly jumped in the car and hightailed it home (<5 minutes drive) and I jumped into my car ...

Ok it's finally happening. My Calendar 2026 is now available for pre-order. Printing by end of the month to allow for international shipping. (sorry no international orders just yet, still setting that up). So happy I could cry. paullecomtephoto.nz/products/202...

One of my Coastguard Hibiscus crew mates took this picture earlier tonight and captioned it “early Christmas”. It’s the view from his place in Army Bay, Whangaparaoa

1/.. In todays' installment of 'Occasional Adventures with Tony' on the sea in the Hauraki Gulf here's a story of a sunny day that went well. The Coastguard pager app went off at 1pm. We didn't have a core volunteer crew rostered on today so I looked at the app to see who was available to respond.

1/3 A friend of mine is an excellent spearo and runs a training group. He's organising a spearfishing competition with a difference. Key points: 1. comp location will be within 1 hr of Auckland 2. beginners will be paired with experienced spearos 3. Culinary skills get points: raw, whole & cooked

Yesterday's article by Joel MacManus got it! And cousin Alfs comments were sad to read. He's the stadium DJ & has been doing that for All Blacks, NRL etc. since the first major win by Tonga at Mt Smart Tongan rugby league fans are the greatest show in sports thespinoff.co.nz/sports/03-11...

For no particular reason the timing of the final shot in James Burkes Connections series popped into my head this morning. I watched this series as a kid and was fascinated. At the time I didn't appreciate the superb timing required to get the last shot to work. youtu.be/2WoDQBhJCVQ?...

It’s nuts the crap people believe about me. Someone even thinks I leafleted schools to scare boys into getting vaccinated! That may just sound silly, but misinformation and disinformation like this means some people want me and others like me jailed or even dead. It’s heartbreaking.

While there are a few tweaks I would make to the observations this thread is quite something

Morning. ☕️

1/.. Here's my cousin Soana doing her final wrap-up for Tagata Pasifika this year (funding cuts mean the show is on hold over the summer). She is awesome at what she does! I've split the video in two to meet Bluesky size restrictions. #kikorangi

The pledge me campaign is already close to $81k and still 28 days to go. Well done folks www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...

Tonight’s views. Anchored at Kauri Pt, Ponui Island.

Morning peeps! I’ve written a piece for @thespinoff.bsky.social on why I ended up taking legal action against my employer and a little bit about how it played out. The whole story needs a book to tell but this is a good start 😂 thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-1... thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-1...

Siouxsie Wiles: Why I’m crowdfunding despite winning my legal battle

AI being used by an anti-windfarm group in Australia to write submissions and its ... making shit up ... www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Dr Siouxsie Wiles crowd funding campaign is running! Browsing the pledge rewards is heartwarming - so many people helping out how they can and rewards to suit all sorts of interests!

😂 I was looking for something else and found this ... then remembered that my brother built most of it ... www.manowar.co.nz/pages/forest...

Chairs for WFH ... Anyone got recommendations for a new home office chair (I use it a LOT). I'm not that small (1.86 m and 120kg). Don't want to necessarily spend lots of $$$ but at the same time I suspect I may need to as I do need a decent chair #kikorangi

As an example of how AI tools have racism inherently built into them, here is a Grammarly suggestion to not have Te Reo Māori first, but to prioritise Reo Pākehā. Needless to say, I find this disappointing and also alarming. #AIisracistAF

This will be frustrating for them. Getting an MTOP done is a bit of work but not impossible - I've had some exposure to Coastguard NZ MTOP. Coastguard NZ does have some "swift water" capability e.g. North Canterbury, and some units use jet skis. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Sorry this is still enraging me. The use of auntie & uncle for parents generation (or older) relatives or close family friends is so culturally common as to be the norm, not the outlier. Not only is it racist here, but it shows the horrible limited view of family these people promote.

😂 We've done this (without the bikes) with the Coastguard Hibiscus volunteers. Split the unit into "boats" (5 people per boat) and simulate multi-vessel searches around the field and beach at Stanmore Bay, Whangaparaoa after dark. Good training for the "on scene command" role as comms is key.

Hey fam, just a reminder that using Afterpay with small businesses costs us a LOT in fees (about 8-10%). Totally fine to use it, that’s why I have it, but also, if you can do it with larger businesses and not with us little guys, it makes a huge difference to our bottom line over time x

Slightly sad weekend. Said goodbye to my just turned 17 yr old nephew who’s flying from New Zealand to Europe. He’ll be in Spain for 2 weeks (with his parents) and then off to an academy in Lyon with a rugby scholarship. He’s a good kid (and very talented). Keep an eye out for Malakai Hafoka

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🤣 we’ve succumbed to the latest promotion and purchased a Robovac. ($269) It’s been amusing seeing the cat’s reaction. (And yes, we’re talking to the thing like it’s a toddler)

One of my mates is a most excellent human, Coastguard Hibiscus skipper, Board Chair of Youth Search and Rescue and also CEO of Cure Parkinson's NZ. He's running a half-marathon to raise funds for Cure Parkinson's with only 2 weeks training ... aucklandmarathon2025.grassrootz.com/cure-parkins...