In today's forecast we are expecting a partly cloudy day with light winds.

It's a three-clothing layer day today with a high of 16 and an overnight low of 7 degrees. Humidity is 97 per cent.

High tide is at 10.40am and low tide is at 4.50pm. There's a sea swell of .8m with a sea temperature of 15 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 5.13pm.

If you're going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 4 and 6pm.

In NZ history on this day in 1855 New Zealand's first postage stamps went on sale. These adhesive, non-perforated stamps for prepaid postage were the famous ‘Chalon Head' design, showing Queen Victoria in her coronation robes.

‘Full-face Queen' stamp, 1855 (Te Papa, PH000592)

In world history on this day in 1812 Great Britain signed the Treaty of Orebro, making peace with Russia and Sweden. In 1877 inventor Thomas Edison recorded the human voice for the first time. In 1936 General Francisco Franco of Spain revolted against the Republican government, starting the Spanish Civil War. In 1971 New Zealand and Australia announced they will pull their troops out of Vietnam.

Today is the birthday of Nelson Mandela. Born 100 years ago in 1918 he was a civil rights activist and first black president of South Africa. Nelson Mandela once said "Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future."

What's happening today? At Classic Flyers today, the restoration team is working in hangar 3 today on the Avenger WW II aircraft. Come down for a look. To get involved in some of the many activities happening around the Bay, please check out our What's on page.

Have a great day!