Have you ever heard the whispers of a disused cable? Owhanake Bay on Waiheke Island holds a secret. It’s a story woven into the very fabric of this beautiful bay. A story of power and connection. A story of anchors and mishaps.
Owhanake Bay a seemingly tranquil haven. It holds a hidden history. It features in charts. These charts depict submarine cables. One cable is clearly visible. It has markers on the shore. People know of its presence. They carefully avoid it.
But there’s another cable. This one is more mysterious. It’s shown on older charts. It runs from the beach at the head of the bay. There are no markers to warn boaters. Many anchors have been dropped there without incident. This raises some questions. Is the cable still there? Is it active? Or is it simply a ghost from a bygone era a forgotten piece of infrastructure?
The Hydrographic Office has received inquiries. The Harbour Master too has been asked. The official response is cautious. They lack records. But because they can’t completely disprove the cable’s existence they choose to leave it on their charts. The safest approach is to err on the side of caution.
Local boaters have their own tales. Some have even dredged up pieces of the cable. They believe it’s disused. They suspect it’s simply a hazard waiting to snag an unsuspecting anchor. One famous incident stands out. Larry Ellison owner of Oracle. His superyacht Katana. He snagged a cable near Motutapu Island. The cost of replacement? A hefty $140,000 to $160,000.
Whether or not this relates to Owhanake Bay’s mystery cable we can only guess. But it’s a reminder. The sea holds many secrets. Owhanake Bay is a small slice of that. It challenges us to investigate its enigmatic past. To uncover the truth hidden beneath the waves. The bay itself is beautiful. Its history is equally fascinating. A reminder that even in calm waters adventure waits.