Surf's up in Hawke's Bay, forcing ships in Napier Port out to sea as a precaution - and drenching visitors on Marine Parade's viewing platform.
MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said a slow building pressure system out to the east of Hawke's Bay had ramped up the seas, causing swells of close to 4 metres.
"The main thing that is causing the big waves is the easterly winds that are occur.
"With a large space and a slow buildup it leaves time for some quite nice swells to develop," McInnes said.
McInnes said the 4m swells had the potential to "cause a bit of havoc on the coast".
Visitors from Auckland, Sandy Robertson and Lynette Quin, said it was a thrill standing on the Marine Parade viewing platform about midday watching the impressive white water around them.
"We just assumed it was like this all the time," Robertson said, "It just gives you such an adrenaline rush standing here watching the waves as they come in. The pair counted themselves lucky as they only received a minor dampening by sea spray.
Others were not so lucky according to a woman walking her dogs on the beach.
"I was walking my dogs earlier and I watched a bunch of people duck down as this huge wave struck the platform, they would have got saturated," she laughed.
Also present on the viewing platform was Napier resident Chris Gouverneur, who used to own a surf rescue boat when previously living in Dunedin.
Watching the waves with a smile on his face, the rolling seas gave him a wave of nostalgia.
"Watching these waves gives you a real adrenaline rush," he said, "Waves like this used to be a bit of a playground for us divers, being in them was both terrifying and exciting. I'll tell ya' people had to hang on pretty tight in the boat."
Ships in Napier port were sent out to see about midnight, observers told Hawke's Bay Today.
Napier Port were not immediately able to respond to a request for comment.
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