Water-Spouts Seen From 90-Mile Beach

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1948, Page 4

Water-Spouts Seen From 90-Mile Beach

K AIT AT A Wed. (Si).).—Four water-spouts which formed about half a mile oIT-shore were seen by Kaitaia residents from 90-Mile Beach on Sunday evening. The observers were at a point midway between Waipapakauri settlement and Idukatere when they saw a heavy, flat-based cloud out to sea. Conditions were almost calm vvitn a light south-west breeze.

From the base of the cloud lormod a globule which extended down towards the water, ending in a point. Below this a similar column rose from the sea. The two columns linked in a waterspout which travelled slowly shore- , wards and crossed the beach north of j the observers to disintegrate over the j ■sandhills. J The watchers were not close enough j In see the effect of the rainfall which resulted. Within 10 minutes another spout formed and behaved in the same manner to be followed at similar intervals by a third and a fourth. These experiences recalled memories of an exceptionally heavy waterspout which struck the Ninety Mile Beach coast some years ago, gouging through the sandhills a deep watercourse which I extended over a mile inland from the coast. The almost perpendicular walls of the colossal ditch so formed were up to 30 l'eet high, and tree stumps and lignite from a past era wore brought I to light by action of the water.