After more than two decades of faithfully recording wave and sea conditions in the Bay of Plenty, the Pukehina Wave Buoy is being retired at the end of this year.

Located 13 kilometres off Pukehina Beach in 62 metres of water, the buoy has been recording wave height, direction, period, and sea surface temperature since it was installed in 2003.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council environment information manager Glenn Ellery said the buoy had provided valuable data for more than 20 years.

“It’s played an important role in understanding the coastal environment from both a science and productivity perspective.

“Information from the wave buoy has been used to support economic development opportunities in the coastal area, an example being the development of the mussel farms near Ōpōtiki,” he said.

“When combining the cost of replacement – around $100,000 – and the availability of equivalent information from MetService, the decision has been made not to replace it.

“Anyone interested in wave conditions can still access reliable, real-time information from MetService, so there’s no loss of information,” Mr Ellery said.

“We’re grateful for the service the buoy has provided and acknowledge the value it’s added to our understanding of the Bay of Plenty coastline.”

The regional council will continue to operate the existing Bowentown wave buoy, which remains active and operational.

For up-to-date coastal conditions, visit www.metservice.com/marine.