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A Marlborough Sounds cruising guide will provide seafarers, recreational boaties and tourists with the latest, up-to-date information about the marine area from anywhere in the world.
The Cruising Guide to the Marlborough Sounds interactive app includes both technical data such as channel markers, marine biosecurity, weather forecasts, navigational hazards, and 5 knot speed restrictions, as well as sites for moorings, boat ramps, marine farms, bush walks and cultural history.
There are also live camera views from Dieffenbach Point, Tory Channel and West Head.
The app, which replaces the out-of-print The New Zealand Cruising Guide, Central Area, by Keith Murray and Baron Ralph von Kohorn, is not intended to be used for navigation.
Incoming Marlborough harbourmaster Captain Luke Grogan said the app website, available on mobile phones, tablet, or desktop, could be accessed from anywhere in the world, including areas with poor cellphone coverage, such as isolated bays in the Marlborough Sounds.
“It gives more detailed information than what is already provided for on the national cruising guide with a specific local focus with input from locals who have a detailed knowledge of the Marlborough Sounds,” Grogan said.
The Marlborough District Council would officially launch the free app, which has been available for use for the past 12 months, alongside a new sonar seabed survey, at Picton on Friday as part of Safer Boating Week promotion.
“We talked to a lot of people and tapped into their knowledge of the Marlborough Sounds to add information such as cultural sites and history, and local walks to give us a broad base,” he said.
Grogan said the app would be useful to boaties as well as tourists planning a trip to the Marlborough Sounds.
It was also an effective tool to link council with the community.
“It’s an ongoing protect as we gather more and more information from the community to add.
“It’s a cost effective way of establishing a platform to use and promote safer boating and encourage communication between the council, boaties and residents in the Marlborough Sounds,” Grogan said.
A maritime open day will be held on Saturday at the Picton Marina to showcase the app, Coastguard and St John emergency services, marine biosecurity awareness, regional oil spill response capability, and visits to the Niwa seabed survey ship, Ikatere.
Sоurсe: stuff.co.nz
