Swimming at Maraetai
Spring has sprung and we are back in the ocean at Maraetai.
High tide dates for a Sunday morning swim, coming up over the next few months...
Sept 22 10.00am
Oct 6 10.00am
Oct 20 10.00am
Nov 3 9.00am
Nov 17 8.30am
The car-park by the boat-ramp has changing rooms and toilets. We have not had issues with security, but it's a good idea to: leave your keys with a non-swimmer; take your key with you in a dry-bag (a lot of swim buoys have a dry-bag section); or invest in a secure lock-box you can attach to your vehicle and that needs a code to open it to get your key (note - the insides of these are MUCH smaller than the outside - make sure your key fits BEFORE you buy it!).
Swimming at Maraetai is pretty safe but you should always swim to the conditions and what you feel comfortable with. Keep within the yellow buoys as beyond that the fizz boats and Jet skis can put their foot to the metal. Preferably don't swim alone and use a swimming buoy so that you are clearly visible.
A great way to have others to swim with is joining our Maraetai swim group on WhatsApp. This group is used to co-ordinate meeting times around people's calendars, tide times and the weather. It makes the coffeee afterwards at the beach cafe more pleasant when you can enjoy it with friends. If keen, get in touch with the Committee and we will have you added to the group.
Swimming all 4 Maraetai buoys and return is about 1.65km. Wharf to wharf (Maraetai Wharf to Magazine Bay Wharf) is around 1.5km each way - 3km return. The yellow buoys are approximately 200m apart, and 200m offshore. So there are lots of options to flex your swim depending how confident you feel and how much time you can spare.
It can get very busy on a nice summer weekend. Lots of boaties use the ramp, and big groups come and set up for the day at the reserve meaning the car park gets crammed. Swims are best completed before 9:00 am, or start from 5:00 pm when there's more room. You want to swim within 2 hours of either side of high tide as the bay gets quite shallow outside these times.
After heavy rain, it is advisable to check the water quality on the SafeSwim website Safeswim.org.nz. A bay that usually has a green flag when the main Maraetai beach is closed is Magazine bay, alongside the first wharf as you travel from Papakura.
When swimming between the last buoy at Maraetai on to Magazine Bay wharf - don't cut close to the rocky point… The rocks extend some distance out, and are covered in oysters. They are sharp… It's best to aim at least 200m off the point, and once past - aim for about 100m off the end of the wharf until you are almost in line with it, then turn to come into the beach.
Strong NE and SE winds make for ‘lively’ swimming. When a Southerly rips over the hill it usually means calm water, particularly in the morning.
By November, the water temperature is approaching 18°C or more, and swimming without wetsuits is getting comfortable. It should remain warm enough until early May. Maraetai is swimmable through the winter, but as the water cools off a wetsuit may be preferred. However, some hardy souls swim through the winter without them.
It sounds like a lot of information to take in but just enjoy your swim. I know maybe it is not such a good idea but swimming soon after dawn and dusk is a magical experience, take your time and look around.