Lead image: Raglan, New Zealand. Photo: Rambo Estrada

On August 16th, two men and a 14-year-old boy were surfing a remote break on New Zealand’s North Island’s West Coast, a couple hours south of Raglan, when three bullets were fired towards them, one of them hitting the water ten feet from where the boy was sitting.

Local police believe it’s an extreme incident of localism at this notoriously localized spot on the Taharoa coast, near the entrance to Kawhia Harbour. (It’s only accessible by boat, jet-ski or invite-only over private property, and allegedly, fishermen have been shot at before here.)

According to Stuff.co.nz, local police Sergeant Andy Connors, who spoke with the surfer involved, called the incident “alarming.” Connors said the men heard three shots. At first they thought someone had fired at a goat or pig in the coastal bush. “The second one sounded a lot closer and the third one landed in the water adjacent to where they were,” Connors said. “You’d be fearing the worst and petrified what’s going to happen in the next few minutes.”

Shortly after the shots were fired, the three surfers noticed two men on shore, who were screaming abuse at them. They returned to the boat ramp and called the police.

View: New Zealand Surf Reports

Local police Constable John Maoate believes locals have taken exception to “strangers” using “their” water.

According to one longtime Raglan resident, the area in question enjoys a very rural way of life and is owned by a local tribe of Maori folks who exercise a Lunada Bay-type localism — though kind of in reverse, as it’s the relatively poor, under-privileged indigenous people keeping out the more affluent visitors, where Lunada Bay has the super rich keeping out the unwashed masses.

View: Raglan Regional Forecast

Raglan local Daniel Kereopa is familiar with the wave, and has some perspective: “Ever since I have known the place and the people that have cared for it, it’s generally been by invitation,” he said. “It’s one of those places that is still New Zealand — not affected by tourists, not promoted. People live there because they are born for that land and, unfortunately, it’s brought some attention by what’s happened down there.”

Constable Jonathan Maoate: “Police would like to remind people that the ocean is for everyone’s use and enjoyment.”

Stay tuned as more unfolds.