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Articles by Richard Moore
Patrol boat leaves for Aotearoa
Friday 4 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
The POLICE patrol boat Te Kukupa headed out of Avatiu yesterday bound for Auckland to be part of the New Zealand Navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
Loving tradition draws families together
Thursday 3 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
ALL SOULS eve on Rarotonga sees the Panama Cemetery turned into a festival of lights venue as families gather to remember their loved ones who have passed on.
Readers react to proposal to toll road to waterfall
Wednesday 2 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
CI NEWS readers have taken to our website to put forward their views on a move to put a toll on vehicles travelling to Papua Waterfall, which is better known as Wigmore’s Waterfall.
ABs great loving first trip to Raro
Wednesday 2 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
HOW DOES an Australian journalist - who doesn’t want to raise the subject of the current state of international rugby - start off an interview with an All Black great?
Govt told of increasing jail escape risks in 2012
Wednesday 2 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
IN THE wake of the Titikaveka shooting tragedy the CI News has discovered that the government was warned three years ago of the increasing likelihood of prison escapes.
Fish and rubblish dumped at Matavera
Tuesday 1 November 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
Fisheries officials are seeking information on the dumping of fish and rubbish on the beach at Matavera.
Accident statistics tell the story
Friday 28 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
Damning statistics show why the Cook Islands Police and the government have moved to boost road safety by targeting younger motorists.
Unwanted cats overwhelm Esther Honey
Friday 28 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
The Esther Honey Foundation clinic is now offering to de-sex your cat for free.
Work gang numbers cut
Tuesday 25 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
THE JUSTICE ministry has reduced the number of inmates allowed out on work gang programmes to those posing minimal risk to the public.
Motorcycle rider fights for his life
Tuesday 25 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
A MOTORBIKE rider is fighting for his life after crashing near the airport in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Tourists find kittens left in plastic bag on roadside
Monday 24 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
TOURISTS have again come across animal cruelty on Rarotonga, leaving at least one of them in tears.
Underwater safari great fun
Monday 24 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
IN SCENES reminiscent of the documentaries of the legendary Jacques Cousteau on his powered underwater craft we took to the clear waters of Rarotonga behind a sea scooter humming the tune Calypso. That was the late-great John Denver’s musical tribute to the French aquanaut who not only invented Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA), but also enthralled millions of people around the world with his television shows highlighting the wonders of our oceans. As a youngster I watched those shows wanting to so be one of his team and, when old enough, qualified as a scuba diver. Diving in cooler New Zealand waters is fine, but it’s only when you head underwater, or snorkel on top of it, in the tropics that you can really get to love the adventure. Warm seas, colourful fish and coral, and water so clear you could read a book underwater from 50 metres away. One gorgeous blue-skied Saturday we decided to go on a sea-scootering safari with Ariki Holidays around a lovely part of Muri Lagoon. The little sea scooter units are battery-powered and give you about 90 minutes of being dragged through the water at four km/h. If you use your fins as well you can almost double that, as well as giving your battery extra distance. They are quite heavy out of the water, but once immersed they have a neutral buoyancy. The hand-operated machines are like stunted torpedos, with a bullet-shaped front and a large fan safely tucked away in a cage. That said, people with long hair do have to tie it up and you cannot have any dangling things such as earrings or cameras. GoPros are okay, though, as there are mounts for the little-wiz cameras on the front of the sea scooters. Our tour leader Lee Horton said just in case anything happened he did have a sharp knife to remove entangled hair. Not a pretty thought for gals, not so much of a worry for shaven-headed chaps like me - although I would watch out for my moustache! The safari began near Fruits of Rarotonga and we received a briefing on how to operate the machines and what we were likely to see. Although the waters of the lagoon are warm, Lee suggested wetsuits were the way to go because after 90 minutes you can get a bit cold. Wetsuits cost an extra $10 to hire on top of the $65 price. I was humming and hah-ing over getting the neoprene or not – it wasn’t the cost, but purely because I enjoy snorkeling freely in tropical waters. My mind was made up, however, when he mentioned you can also brush up against fire coral and so I thought ah well, why not. Here’s the tip, avoid all red and yellow corals. The nickname fire coral should give you an indication of how it feels to come into contact with it. Then after cleaning our masks and donning our fins it was off on our adventure. A la Jacques Cousteau, it was onwards and downwards following some brightly hued denizens of the shallow lagoon. The sea scooters are really easy to operate. Most of them need two hands to keep the propulsion system going courtesy of a throttle button in each of the handles. They have to be held down simultaneously. And they are simple to steer. Point them in the direction you want to go and that’s where you will head. It’s cool when you want to change direction, or even dive to the lagoon floor to inspect some coral or giant clams, but point it upwards and you could end up breaching like a humpback whale. Well, sort of … Part of the tour takes you through coral canyons in Muri Lagoon where you will see plenty of great little fish. Some you will recognise, others you won’t, although there is a chart back at base where you can identify any of the little swimmers you come across. About halfway through the safari you come across Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruise boats. This brings the benefits of swimming amid schools of big fish like trevally that get attracted by feed from the boats. The only downside is that you also have to wend your way through classrooms of snorkelers. Flipper here, flipper there, leg in the face here, elbow there. And throughout the 90-minute journey you need to keep your eyes peeled for the sea turtles that make regular visits to the calm lagoon waters. Speaking of sea beasties, you do come across a couple of moray eels lounging about in their rocky havens. I have to say one was the most massive eel I have ever seen ... A sea scooter safari is an exciting, yet relaxing, way to spend a morning, or afternoon, in the waters of Rarotonga. Good fun for everyone aged nine and up.
Double dose of thrills at the Empire
Monday 24 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Entertainment
BEN AFFLECK just made accountants look so damn cool.
'We could be sued' – TIS warning
Monday 24 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Weekend
BY JUMPING the legal gun and signing a purse-seine fishing deal with the European Union before the issue was decided by the High Court, the government could have opened Cook Islands up to being sued by the financial powerhouse.
Move to tighten laws, form police tactics unit
Monday 24 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
FIREARMS are in the sights of authorities with moves to tighten gun-control laws, reduce the number of weapons on Rarotonga and crack down on illegal weapon imports.
Five shots fired at police
Friday 21 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
A POLICE breaching team survived a hail of gunfire as officers entered a remote house near Titikaveka in which fugitive gunman Chris Rimamotu was hiding on Wednesday morning.
Police chief proud as his officers put lives on line
Thursday 20 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
There was little joy in Police Commissioner Maara Tetava’s voice yesterday as he praised his officers for their courage in dealing with an armed killer.
Sixteen hours of terror
Thursday 20 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
Killings devastate island community The horrified community of Rarotonga is still reeling after a gunman, believed to have been a prisoner on work release, shot and killed two people near Titikaveka late on Tuesday afternoon.
Overflowing septic tanks feeding algae
Wednesday 19 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
THE NUTRIENTS feeding the algae in Muri Lagoon have not been reduced and that is why the weed is returning, says Te Ipukarea Society’s Kelvin Passfield.
A green invader silently expands
Wednesday 19 October 2016 | Written by Richard Moore | Published in Local
AN AFTERNOON snorkelling and kayaking around the lagoon near Muri Beach was not as pleasant as the last time we tried it.
