Tony Hafoka Ao NZ TON
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ahafoka.bsky.social
Tony Hafoka Ao NZ TON
@ahafoka.bsky.social
NZ / Aotearoa based. Freedive, spearfisher & volunteer crew for Hibiscus unit of Coastguard NZ Tautiaki Moana https://www.coastguardhibiscus.org.nz
Coastguard stories: https://bsky.app/profile/ahafoka.bsky.social/post/3m3qrgfddx22v
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Inspired by a pic Jeremy @floregonian.com posted of the sea I’m starting a thread of sea / water related pictures I’ve taken. Bear with me as I add to it sporadically as I seem to have quite a few pics in my phone. Most were taken in Aotearoa New Zealand. I’ll start with my profile pic.
S and I are planning a trip from NZ to Europe to visit my brother and family in Spain in September. We're also tacking on a week on a French canal boat and a few days in Paris and Rome. It's going to cost several arms and legs.
February 13, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Entitled idiots in action …

Tutukaka, Northland

www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-adv... Digger works at Church Bay in Northland prompt public outcry and council investigation
Hapū ‘horrified’ by digger works on Northland beach; council investigating
NRC officers halted the 10 to 15 tonne digger after three complaints.
www.nzherald.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 7:03 PM
And here is a follow-up reply from the One Ocean Project (the blokes who organised the trailer boats over the Auckland Harbour Bridge protest).

I'm not always a fan of these sorts of edits but this one illustrates how out of touch Shane Jones is.
#nzpol
February 12, 2026 at 5:50 AM
This has shades of "don't you know who I am?"

(or in this case ... don't you know who he is? )

#nzpol

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Judge Ema Aitken must have known who she was yelling at, NZ First MP Casey Costello says
Judge Ema Aitken is accused of disrupting an event, yelling at Winston Peters and calling him a liar.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 1:56 AM
We enjoyed the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival 2 years ago (found out about it the night before) so I've kept an eye out for the next one: 13/14/15 March 2026
www.aucklandwoodenboatfestival.co.nz/festival-pro...
Auckland Wooden Boat Festival
Connect with maritime history on-shore and on-water. A family friendly event with something for everyone.
www.aucklandwoodenboatfestival.co.nz
February 9, 2026 at 1:57 AM
I don’t follow American football but there’s a Tongan from Onehunga, Auckland playing in the Superbowl and my cousin Soana wrote about it here:

'Anything is possible': New Zealand-born Tongan to play in Super Bowl LX www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...
'Anything is possible': New Zealand-born Tongan to play in Super Bowl LX
The Seahawks' running back George Holani was born in Auckland and lived in Onehunga before his family migrated to the US.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 9, 2026 at 1:37 AM
Reposted by Tony Hafoka Ao NZ TON
I will be looking for an RA soon as my amazing postdoc has got a permanent role on our team. I will be looking for an emerging Māori researcher who has a social science background preferably :) dm me if you know of anyone or want to kōrero
January 23, 2026 at 8:32 AM
I returned one of the prize boats to Haines Hunter HQ in Penrose, Auckland this morning.
Good luck to all who have bought lottery tickets and if you haven’t there’s still time.

www.coastguardhibiscus.org.nz/lottery
February 8, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Tonight’s view. Chamberlins Bay. Ponui Island. (East of Waiheke Is. Auckland)
February 6, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Darren Shields (aka the "weekend spearfisherman" as Shane Jones called him) has replied. This reply illustrates how much Shane Jones is disconnected from the New Zealand voter in general.

#nzpol
February 5, 2026 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Tony Hafoka Ao NZ TON
The Atlas Network's satrap here in Aotearoa,the Taxpayers "Union" is calling for nominations for the most wasteful govt expenditure this year.

I helpfully nominated David Seymour's MINISTRY FOR REGULATION,for wasting our money.

Happy to help.

(Lets do it!)

www.taxpayers.org.nz/jonesies_202...
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE 2026 JONESIE WASTE AWARDS
Championing Value For Money From Every Tax Dollar
www.taxpayers.org.nz
February 2, 2026 at 9:39 PM
I’m a few days late in posting this.

A week late …
February 2, 2026 at 7:04 AM
Looks like it was a busy day on the water all around Aotearoa New Zealand …
538 trip reports between 6am and 7am
February 1, 2026 at 12:12 AM
Yesterday, while S & I were at a birthday, the Coastguard pager went off at 2:30pm. I tapped “Unavail” as I was too far away.

It was “Rescue 2 skipper please call Ops” which usually means there’s something unusual - and Hibiscus Rescue 1 was already on the water.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/army-bomb...
Watch: 'It shook our house' - Bomb squad blows up device at Auckland beach, rattling locals
A resident said their house shook after an explosion at Okoromai Bay just before 6pm.
www.nzherald.co.nz
January 31, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Looks like half of Westhaven has come to Bon Accord tonight …

I think there’s some Yacht Squadron weekend thing

Hardly any room here so I contacted the Auckland Coastguard unit and borrowed their mooring at the head of the harbour.
January 31, 2026 at 7:29 AM
January 30, 2026 at 7:42 PM
This is good news … although we don’t know what’s driving the change

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Caulerpa makes dramatic retreat in areas but 'sure as hell, this beast will be back'
Carpets of caulerpa, described as the world's worst marine pest, have mysteriously disappeared on a massive scale in Northland and the Hauraki Gulf.
www.rnz.co.nz
January 30, 2026 at 6:21 AM
Shane Jones is doing his best to lose the votes of the recreational fishing sector.

This clip is being posted all over various platforms and the reactions are 99% bad for Jones and New Zealand First

#nzpol
January 30, 2026 at 12:05 AM
We had a Coastguard tasking late this afternoon and it was so calm on the way back to Whangaparaoa that I messaged S and suggested we take the boat out for a BBQ dinner …

Currently anchored between Tiritiri Matangi and Wooded Is. (it’s a fair bit windier but we are tucked in a calm spot)
January 29, 2026 at 6:04 AM
Feels like changes are happening for my very elderly neighbour.

He’s had an old school Trans Am in his garage since I moved here 5 years ago and a flat bed tow truck is here loading it as I type. (It’s looking a bit dusty)
January 28, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Someone spent a bit of money on signage and forgot to proofread…

(Either that or Spary Taning is a new cosmetic treatment)
January 26, 2026 at 8:35 PM
I don’t do the herald daily quizzes very often so was surprised at today’s result.
January 25, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Rachel Hessey, who was until recently President of Coastguard Hibiscus (Whangaparaoa) and one of our 6 skippers was on Radio New Zealand this morning talking about what we do and water safety in general.

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Safety update from Coastguard Hibiscus
Coastguard is asking everyone to be prepared before hitting the water.
www.rnz.co.nz
January 25, 2026 at 3:06 AM
This is awesome! I've seen black coral at the Poor Knights (east coast of Northland) while on SCUBA at over 35m depth and freediving in Fiordland at around 10m (where the freshwater layer on the surface creates similar conditions to being below 30m).
January 22, 2026 at 2:51 AM