Boats line the shore at Glendhu Bay, Lake Wanaka, where
winds have left boaties high and dry. Photo by Matthew
Haggart.
Windy weather is creating frustration for Upper Clutha
holiday boaties and sending fuel sales plummeting at lakeside
petrol pump operators.
Glendhu Bay holiday park lessee Herbie Illingworth said the
winds had affected the more than 300 boat owners who were
camping at the ground.
He said the run of weather since Christmas was among the
poorest he had seen during his tenure as Glendhu Bay camping
ground manager.
"It's knocked our fuel sales on the head. They are of the
worst I've seen in 16 years."
Boats were parked along the beach, waiting for a break in the
wind.
Some boat users were "managing" to get their vessels out in
the early morning for water-skiing, while those wanting to go
fishing were taking advantage of calmer lake conditions in
the evening once the wind dropped, he said.
"It's been very frustrating for everyone."
The MetService weather station at Wanaka airport has recorded
consistent wind-speed readings of about 35 knots during the
past week.
Lake Hawea service station owner Trevor Hewson said the windy
conditions were sending boaties elsewhere.
The petrol station had shifted less than a third the amount
of fuel usually sold during the holiday period.
"Everything is directly related to the wind," he said.
The strong northwesterlies meant people were "going mad".
There had been "only" one calm day since before Christmas,
which had given him an idea of the amount of petrol he would
be selling if lake conditions were calm.
Visiting boaties around Lake Hawea were packing up to get
away.
"They [boat-users] want to go boating and will head elsewhere
to do so," he said.
Glendhu Bay camper Peter Conder said he had managed to get
his boat on the water only once since arriving from Alexandra
last week.
He agreed with the sentiments of the camping ground and
petrol station operators.
"This wind is getting to people and causing frustration."
Mr Conder and the group of campers he was with yesterday have
been camping at Glendhu Bay for 30 years.
They had never seen such an extended period of sustained
winds and unsettled weather while camping during the
holidays.
Mr Illingworth said it would take only "two or three" days of
good weather to make people forget about the frustration.
"Once people are on the water again, everyone will be as good
as gold."
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