Boaties are advised to take caution using the Thornton entrance at the Rangitaiki River mouth after Bay of Plenty Regional Council sound recordings there indicate reduced depths.

Image: Google Earth.

Regional Council Harbourmaster – Eastern, Brian Spake, says the channel across the Thornton bar lies in the direction of the big Raurimu at a bearing of 353 degrees true.

'There is very little margin for error as the eastern and western sand spits extend to the margins of this channel where the depths reduce considerably and even dry out at the bottom of most tides,” says Brian.

He reinforced the current three hour restriction to navigation each side of low tide.

'This is particularly relevant during new moon tides from 27 September 2011 until 4 October 2011 when tides could fall to very low levels.”