Tauranga residents are being warned to steer clear of the beaches as high winds are blowing oil from the sea's surface onto the beach.

Reports have come in of people standing on beaches and getting covered in oil this morning.

Oil at Papamoa Domain. Inset: Mayor Stuart Crosby.

The oil is among the 200-300 tonnes that leaked from the stranded ship Rena on Monday night's storm.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby was on the beach this morning and experienced for himself what was happening.

'I started off around the Papamoa Domain area and I saw oil about four metres up the shoreline and it was solid.

'It wasn't what you had seen before in terms of these patty type ones, this was a major slip.

'There was a very strong wind coming offshore and within a matter of minutes you had to retreat because particles were coming onto you and you were breathing it in.

It was very nauseas in a matter of minutes.”

Stuart says while they appreciate the support that is coming in from the community, their personal safety is paramount.

'Systems are in place now where people will be able to volunteer in a safe manner for the clean-ups, which will be numerous over the coming weeks.”

He says minimum training will be required because people can either become ill or they could make the situation worse if it's not picked up correctly.

'We appreciate the community support and it's important they do participate in the clean-up.”

Residents have also complained on radio about the oil blowing on their house along Mount Maunganui beach.

Stuart says this does not surprise him.

'Homes right along the beach front will certainly be affected with small particles under the current weather conditions.

'There is no information available at this stage about what home owners can do, but my immediate advice is to not touch it.”

Public Health medical officer of health Dr Neil de Wet says the oil spillage on the beaches combined with the current weather conditions has produced a noticeable smell in some area around the beaches.

'This smell is likely to diminish over a period of one or two hours from the time the oil has reached the beach.

'Some people in the vicinity may experience some physical discomfort. They are advised to shut windows or avoid the immediate vicinity of the beaches and avoid all immediate or secondary contact with the oil spillage.”
Neil says if anyone experiences any discomfort they should move away to an area of fresh air.