Heavy rain, high winds and severe flooding have been wreaking havoc across the Auckland region, leading Mayor Wayne Brown to declare a local state of emergency on Friday.
While Waiheke has so far not been as badly hit as the city, residents are experiencing disruption to ferry services.
In a statement on their website, Fullers says five of its ferries were damaged over the weekend, adding to delays caused by the weather. “Our maintenance teams are working tirelessly to get them back in service as quickly as possible. However, this means there may be less capacity than usual on some services.” With more severe weather expected this week, ferries may be cancelled at short notice. The most up-to-date information on the ferry schedule will be on the Fullers website travel alerts page, or on the MyFerry App.
One of the biggest delays came on Friday, when a cruise ship broke loose from its dock at Princess Wharf. The Noordam arrived in Auckland that morning and a Ports of Auckland spokesperson confirmed to the media that the ship lost its spring, the rope attaching it to the wharf, in the rough weather. The Noordam had to use its engines, and was assisted by a tug boat, to hold position as it was securely reattached to the wharf. • Paul Mitchell
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