New Zealand

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New Zealand Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for sailing around New Zealand.

New Zealand
Newzealandmap.PNG
Country - click for larger view
Newzealandflag.png
Flag
Capital: Wellington
World icon.png 41°17′S, 174°27′E
Language: English, Māori
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Time Zone UTC+12 (DST observed)
New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, situated about 2000 km (1250 miles) southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.

Overview

New Zealand comprises two main islands, the North and South Islands, Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu respectively in Māori, and a number of smaller islands, located near the centre of the water hemisphere. Cook Strait, 20 km wide at its narrowest point, separates the North and South Islands. The total land area, 268,680 square kilometres (103,738 sq mi), is a little less than that of Italy and Japan, and a little more than the United Kingdom. The country extends more than 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) along its main, north-north-east axis, with approximately 15,134 km (9,404 mi) of coastline. The most significant of the smaller inhabited islands include Stewart Island/Rakiura; Waiheke Island, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf; Great Barrier Island, east of the Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands, named Rēkohu by Moriori. The country has extensive marine resources, with the seventh-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometres (1.5 million sq mi), more than 15 times its land area.

Cruising the region

New Zealanders generally have a great sense of humour, so if you ask one of them "What's the capital of New Zealand?" don't be surprised if he answers, "Oh, about two dollars." They also have a self-sufficient and can-do attitude and can fix pretty much anything with some baling wire and a pair of pliers.

Climate & Weather

New Zealand's climate varies from moderate in Auckland to freezing cold in Queenstown at the bottom of the south island. Mountains in the south are often snowed over even during summer, and there is a permanent glacier, Franz Joseph, on the west coast of the south island.

Christchurch can be described as cool but pleasant with similar weather to Melbourne, and Wellington is known to be windy.

Sources of weather forecasting:

Charts

Submit details of the charts required for safe navigation of the area.

Special Navigation Notes

Any navigation notes here.

Local Radio Nets

Also see Cruiser's Nets

  • Russell Radio - for frequency and schedules,check out their website.
    • Position reporting and weather updates based on your position
    • Will arrange assistance to cruisers who requires it
    • Provides information to overseas visiting yachts for the right course for the "Q" berth and the Customs dock in the Opua Marina
    • Will inform Customs and Immigration of your ETA; if you have pets, they will also inform Quarantine

Arrival/Departure procedures

Upon entry in New Zealand territorial waters, the Q-flag must be hoisted and remain aloft until the yacht has been cleared inside port. The first entry into New Zealand from a foreign port MUST be made at an official port of entry.

On approaching an official port of entry you must attempt to announce your arrival by calling Taupo Maritime Radio on VHF via their coastal relay stations. If unable to contact them, the local port authority can forward your arrival confirmation. Your actual arrival must be be announced to the "port of entry" on VHF16.
Note:

  • "Taupo Maritime Radio" maintains a continuous watch on 2182kHz, 8291kHz, 4125kHz, 6215kHz and 16420kHz. You can also contact them by phone: Ph: +64 9 359 6655 or +64 25 961 375 (after hours). A phone report may also be made to MAF in Auckland, Tel. +64 9 366 0345, +64 9 309 9093 or +64 274 975 171 (after hours).
  • "Russell Radio" will inform Customs and Immigration of your arrival by request.

If you are unable to contact the authorities by radio and therefore arrive "unannounced", the skipper (alone) must immediately make contact with Customs or the Police by phone and return immediately to the yacht - no other crew to go ashore until the clearance procedures have been completed.

Customs and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) quarantine officers will meet you on arrival. Clearance will be completed by Customs (also handles Immigration) and a Quarantine officer (after a thorough yacht inspection).

Note that all of the above also applies to New Zealand yachts arriving from offshore.

From the New Zealand Customs Fact Sheet No. 32:

N.B. New Zealand legislation requires the master of every craft en-route to New Zealand to provide certain information at least 48 hours prior to the expected arrival time in New Zealand territorial waters (12 nautical miles from the coastline). The information required includes:

  • Full details of the vessel.
  • Estimated date and time of arrival.
  • The Customs port of entry at which the vessel will arrive.
  • Full details of all crew and passengers on board.
  • The name of the originating port and subsequent ports visited en-route to New Zealand.

You can provide this information by:

  • Facsimile sheet — use the form in the New Zealand Border Agencies Information Pack for Yachts and Small Craft and fax it to +64-3-358 0069, or
  • Website - Visit the website - "VisitingCraft/Small+Craft+Arrival/Arrival+ Information.htm, download and complete the forms listed, and return them by fax or email.

Departure
Departure must be made from an official "Port of entry". Advise the New Zealand Customs Service at least 72 hours ahead of your intended departure to arrange for customs/immigration clearance. Once your clearance certificate has been issued, you must to go to sea within a "reasonable" time and any delays must be reported to Customs.

Contacts:

  • New Zealand Customs Service, Marine Section, PO Box 29, Auckland. Ph: +64 (0)9 307 6516, Fax: +64 (0)9 359 6692. Email
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). Ph: +64 9 256 8547. Website, Email - (information on quarantine inspection and regulations affecting onboard pets)

Immigration, Visas & Customs

Immigration

  • Passports must be valid for at least three months beyond intended departure date. Australian citizens do not need visas nor do citizens of the European Union (except for Greece whose passports were issued BEFORE 1/1/2006), Bahrain, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Israel, Korea (South), Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, USA, Brazil, Canada, Iceland, Kuwait, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Uruguay.
  • A three month visitor's permit is granted on arrival. Visas can be renewed through the Ministry of Immigration.
  • British citizens may stay for up to six months on a visitor's permit. Pemission to stay beyond the maximum permitted period may be granted if the yacht needs to undergo repairs, or if you need to wait out the South Pacific hurricane season (October to April). Maximum length of stay is twelve months.
  • It is required that all crew show availability of funds of $400 NZ per month if living on the yacht. Crew disembarking in New Zealand will be required to show an onward ticket, or sufficient funds to purchase one. The owner of the yacht must prove ownership and supply evidence of adequate 3rd party insurance.

An Immigration officer can be contacted by phone at: Ph: +64 9 914 4100 or fax the New Zealand Immigration National Contact Centre on Fax: +64 9 914 4100.

Customs

  • Firearms and ammunition MUST be declared on arrival and will be held in police custody until your departure. (The police MAY approve an onboard safe that will be sealed until your departure)
  • Keep medicines in their original packing - these should be accompanied by a valid prescription.
  • Items such as flick-knives, swordsticks, knuckle-dusters, (and anything that can be termed a weapon) are prohibited.
  • List (and declare) all equipment other than fixtures -these will not be subject to duty if remaining on board and re-exported on departure (some items may be sealed by Customs). Items to be landed must be declared to customs on arrival. Goods imported into New Zealand such as radios and navigation equipment require a Temporary Import form and a deposit to cover duty and sales tax, which will be refunded on re-export. If imported permanently, they will be subject to duty.
    All foreign yachts entering New Zealand on a temporary basis must fill in a "Temporary Import" form. The duty payable is assessed, and this amount is set by declaration on entry (the current rate is 19.7% -Aug'08). The yacht must leave New Zealand within 12 months of entry otherwise this duty is due on the yacht and its equipment.
    Extensions are not normally given beyond the twelve month limit unless the yacht is not seaworthy.
  • The duty-free allowance for each person on arrival is 1 litre of spirits and 4.5 litres of wine or beer. Amounts in excess of this will be liable for customs charges.

Quarantine
New Zealand has very strict regulations on the importation of animals, animal and plant products. It is advisable to arrive with a minimum of fresh stores. Items that must not be landed are fruit, vegetables, plant products, foodstuffs, eggs and waste from these items, pot plants, meat and animal products. All waste must be disposed of through the proper garbage disposal system including egg containers. The quarantine officer will explain this on arrival. Until such stores are consumed or destroyed the yacht will be under surveillance and restricted to berthing at a wharf where these garbage facilities are available. Organic garbage should be disposed of before entering New Zealand territorial waters. The quarantine officer may also inspect for pesticides, which must be of a formula registered in New Zealand. This can include insecticide sprays, cockroach traps and antifouling.

Obtain written authority before taking anything ashore such as bicycles, motorcycles, sporting equipment, etc..

Ports & Popular Stops

North Island South Island Offshore Islands
Auckland (Port of entry)
Gisborne (Port of entry)
Gulf Harbour
Napier (Port of entry)
New Plymouth (Port of entry)
Opua (Bay of Islands) (Port of entry)
Tauranga (Bay of Plenty) (Port of entry)
Wellington (Port of entry)
Whangarei (Port of entry)
Whangaroa
Whitianga
Christchurch (Lyttelton) (Port of entry)
Dunedin (Port of entry)
Greymouth
Invercargill (Bluff) (Port of entry)
Nelson (Port of entry)
Picton (Port of entry)
Waikawa
Timaru (Port of entry)
Chatham Islands (Port of entry)
Kermadec Islands
Stewart Island


Niue

Health

Two major recent earthquakes, the latest a Richter 6.3 on 22 Feb, 2011, have left Christchurch city in a mess. Until normality is restored it should be realized that some facilities aren't readily available. Travelers to Rotorua should note that due to geothermal activity the town smells of sulphur, which may cause problems for some with sensitive noses. You get used to it, and the scenery is worth the trouble.

Security

Details?

Cruiser's Friends

Sharron and Brian in the Whangarei Marina are very helpful with information to the cruising boats.

Passages To/From New Zealand

References & Publications

  • Coastal Cruising Handbook. - covers Three Kings islands to Cape Kidnappers. Royal Akarana Yacht Club, PO box 42004, Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand
  • New Zealand Cruising Guide, - central area, covers Cape Palliser to Farewell Spit. Steven William Publishers PO box 13521, Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand.
  • A Boaties Guide to Fiordland. - covers Fiordland. Mana Cruising Club, PO box 57045, Mana, New Zealand

Links to Forum discussions

Links to discussions threads on Forums

External Links

Personal Notes

  • SV Wiskun = We were in NZ between 2003 to 2007. As of this period, incoming overseas yachts were given 6 months Temporary Import Entry. Most cruisers who applied for extensions were given up to 1 year; however there must be a valid reason given, i.e. health, ongoing repairs on the yacht; etc. The first time we applied for an extension, we flew out of the country and sent the application for extension from overseas. We even enclosed a self addressed envelope purchased in NZ before we left. Our application was granted within 3 weeks. If ongoing repairs is the reason, they do come to the boatyard to check. Applications for further extensions may be granted based on valid reasons, but a security bond may have to be placed based on the value of the vessel. Our suggestion upon arrival is to declare as low as possible, the value of your vessel.
  • Note re Visitors Visa. You get 3 months on arrival. Can be extended after filling in paper work and fee. Might be easier to organize a longer visa before arrival. Eg. from the NZ Consulate in Tonga.


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