Vaka Marumaru Atua’s anticipated departure for Atiu yesterday afternoon was delayed until this morning due to unpredictable challenging weather conditions affecting the island.

Captain Deon Wong of the Cook Islands Voyaging Society says they intend to depart Avarua Harbour early this morning for the 20–24-hour sail to Atiu, then onto Takutea for the Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) Rat Eradication Programme.

Sixteen crew will be sailing to Atiu where they will restock and take across another six to 11 people to Takutea for a planting programme as well as a bird survey project.

Maara Vaiimene, director of the Cook Islands Meteorological Service, says the current windy and high seas condition that the southern group islands are experiencing is due to a “very high-pressure system” moving west east of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Vaiimene says since this is a slow-moving system, it is prolonging this strong windy condition.

Last week, the northern group islands experienced strong winds and high seas, which removed the last areas of sand along the coastline of Pukapuka, toppled coconut trees and exposing roots, causing severe coastal damage and sand erosion.

Pukapuka resident Koree “Kolee” Tinga said that since Tuesday last week, there had been severe damage to the coastline, including the road at Imu le and Te Ala o te Vāyī on the “tua itinga” eastern side of Wale.

“Kare ko te taime mua teia, me ngarungaru ake teia tua, ko teia te ka tupu. E maata tana kanga i te enua,” Tinga said.

“Te mataara e vaitata atu i te topa ki raro, ko te 3 pā teia o te mataara mei te tuātau i anau mai ei au.

“Me ka motu ake teia mataara, ka neke atu te mataara ou ki roto.

“Aiteite nga tua e rua o te enua, tua ki tua e te tua ki t tai aro to raua akateretereanga me tupu ake teia tu reva kinokino e te ureia.”

Met Service’s Vaiimene said they have not received any impact reports on high seas with possible coastal flooding and strong wind warnings issued for the Pa Enua Tokerau (northern group), including Pukapuka.

Coastal damage from highs seas and strong winds topples coconut trees in Imu le and Ala o te Vāyī on the eastern side of Pukapuka. KOREE TINGA/24082310

He said the high seas warnings estimated the height of the sea swells to be between 2.5 and 3.5 metres and higher during times of high tides, reaching 3.5 to 4m.

Winds recorded averaged 20 to 25 knots, gusting up to 35 knots (37 to 46 kilometre per hour, gusting up to 55kph).

“These warnings were issued for a duration of eight to 10 days,” said Vaiimene.

Meanwhile on Sunday (Cook Islands time), a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rattled the opening day of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga.

The Met Service received a Tsunami Information Bulletin only during the early hours of Sunday.

Vaiimene said, based on the information they received, the earthquake that occurred 72km west of Pangai, Tonga, didn’t pose any impact on the weather and ocean conditions here in the Cook Islands.

“There is a certain threshold that this particular tsunami occurrence did not meet, therefore the tremors produced if any was minimal, the reason for the Tsunami Bulletin being issued as information only.”