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Southland mariners can now receive the latest marine weather information 24 hours
every day by simply turning on their marine radio.

Above: Coastguard Nowcasting Project Manager Kevin O'Sullivan bringing
automated weather forecasts to the south

The newly introduced Coastguard NowCasting service provides real-time spoken
information on weather conditions at critical locations within the VHF radio coverage
area in Foveaux Strait and broadcasts the updates continuously on marine VHF radio
channel 23. It has been constructed using the efforts of local volunteers from Riverton
and Bluff Coastguards.

The new service initially provides up-to-the-minute local marine wind strength and
direction from coastal sites at Southwest Point (Stewart Island), Puysegar Point and
Centre Island (Foveaux Strait West). Information from a further installation at Ruapuke
Island (Foveaux Strait East) will be added in the new year when communications links
are finalised.

The continuous broadcast includes the latest marine forecasts for the area as well as
Bluff tide times. It will also include local safety messages from the Regional Council,
Police and Coastguard as required.

The Coastguard NowCasting service improves marine safety by providing mariners,
professional and recreational, with a continuous weather information stream enabling
them to make better decisions about commencing or continuing their journeys.

Wind is the most critical factor in knowing the sea conditions so Coastguard uses
automatic anemometers (a device which measures wind speed) positioned at various
sites, which report wind strength and direction every sixty seconds. The wind data is
bought back to a central computer and broadcast in speech on VHF radio within
seconds of it being received.

Local man, Coastguard Riverton professional volunteer, and President of Coastguard
New Zealand Ian Coard says the provision of this additional service will assist boaties in
making better informed decisions, in turn keeping them safer on the water. Everything
that can be done to enhance safety on the water has to be a good thing.

He adds, “We have been very fortunate in the support we have received to get the
Coastguard NowCasting service up and running in Southland, and would like to
particularly acknowledge the assistance of the Met Service, Team Talk Ltd, ASI
Communications, and the Tangata Whenua of Centre and Ruapuke Islands.”

The Southland service has been on air for testing over the past month and is now fully
operational. Initial coverage reports show that the program can be heard over a wide
area. This station joins 17 existing broadcast sites already operated by Coastguard in
Northland, Auckland, Kaipara, Raglan, Whitianga, Tairua, Whakatane/Tauranga, New
Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Cook Strait, Canterbury and Dunedin. This additional
site has been made possible by funding assistance through the New Zealand
Community Trust.

For more information please contact:
Coastguard Riverton
Ian Coard
Mob: 0272 678 504

Kevin O’Sullivan
Coastguard NowCasting Project Manager
Ph: 09 570 2751
Mob: 0274 900 682
Email: kevin@ruawhetu.co.nz