A day in the life of a dockhand at Waikawa Marina

Step behind the scenes at Waikawa Marina to discover the fast-paced, varied life of a dockhand with Port Marlborough’s Eden Sadd.

What does a “normal” day look like for you?

There really is no normal – and that’s exactly why I love this job. Every day is different. I’ve been working at Waikawa Marina for about 18 months now, starting at 7.30am and finishing at 5pm, and no two days ever feel the same.

What are those early mornings like?

When I first arrive it’s usually very quiet, but the marina comes alive quickly. Contractors and local businesses head into the Marlborough Sounds, earlybird boaties launch to catch the morning bite, and things get busy around the ramp. The marina is split in two and I’m responsible for half of the 27 jetties and 851 berths, so there’s a lot to stay across.

What are your main checks each day?

I walk the berths and check that all boats are tied off correctly. Lines can fray, snag or snap, and because many owners aren’t here regularly, we keep an eye on things for them. If something needs attention, we’ll either fix it using the spare lines we carry or notify the owner. We also check masts, sails, and lashings and how the boats are sitting in the water, especially important after rough weather to prevent damage to boats and the marina infrastructure.

What about marina maintenance?

Because Waikawa is such a large site, there’s always maintenance to keep on top of from jetties to ablution blocks, lawns, gardens, trees. One moment you’re covered in dirt from gardening, and the next you’re catching lines for someone battling a tricky berth in the wind. Even the most experienced skippers get thrown curveballs, so we need to be on hand to help.

Do you deal with emergencies on the water as well?

Yes. If a boatie runs into trouble, we’ll go out, tow them in and get them safely to the travel-lift dock. I also help the travel-lift team whenever they’re short-staffed, so I’m not always on the marina.

What does customer service look like in your day-to-day?

There’s office admin, answering queries, booking the travel lift, and showing newcomers to their berths. In summer, one of us manages the launching ramp shuttle, moving people’s vehicles to overflow parking areas to speed up the process and avoid long queues.

Do you get to see much sea life?

We are fortunate to see a lot of birds, stingrays and seals. The seals mostly visit between May and September and make themselves at home on the boat ramps and surrounding rocks. There is quite a bit of water blasting needed to remove the mess they leave behind! Sometimes we may even see dolphins and blue penguins.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The variety, the people, and the support I get from my employer to complete my accreditation in Marine Operations. As well as all the people who have boats in the marina, we also get to interact with a wide range of organisations that do work in the Marlborough Sounds such as NIWA, MPI and the Harbourmaster. There is so much variety, and I just love that each day is different depending on what’s happening and what the weather is like.