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:
Greater Wellington 04 384 5708
Harbour radio (urgent) 04 473 4547
Keep 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.'
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