Resident Ewan Pohe said it was only a plywood barricade he put over the window of his downstairs flat that meant damage from a wave blast was limited to a broken ranch slider door and a small amount of water inside. Mo Blishen was on her way to work when a wave crashed over the road at Ōwhiro Bay, knocking her to the ground. Kevin Stent/Stuff She managed to get to the safety of a fence top as the wave subsided. MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter said while waves averaging between 5 metres and 6m were being recorded at 9.30am, a wave of 15m was recorded at a buoy at the harbour mouth at 8.30pm on Tuesday.