Today we are expecting a fine day with light winds or afternoon sea breezes.

It's a three-clothing layer day today with a high of 20 and an overnight low of 10 degrees. Humidity is 95 per cent.

Low tide is at 9.40am and high tide at 4pm (Tay Street times). There's a sea swell of 1m and the water temperature is 15 degrees. Sunset today is at 7.18pm.

If you're going fishing, the next best fish bite time is 8.30-10.30am.

In NZ history on this day in 1866 the Maungatapu murderers were hanged in Nelson. Burgess, Kelly and Levy were hanged. Joseph Sullivan, the fourth member of the 'Burgess gang', received a life sentence after turning Queen's evidence and helping convict his co-accused.

In 2011 the container ship Rena grounded on the clearly marked Astrolabe Reef while approaching Tauranga Harbour.

The Rena was the largest ship ever wrecked in New Zealand waters; although no lives were lost, in financial terms it was our costliest-ever shipwreck. About 234 tonnes of oil was spilt, and 350 tonnes of oily waste was subsequently collected from local beaches.

Eighty-seven of the 1368 containers on board were washed overboard, with the contents of many fouling the coast. Thousands of birds were killed. More damage was done when the Rena broke in half on 8 January 2012.

In world history on this day in 1762 the British fleet bombarded and captured Spanish-held Manila in the Philippines.

In 1880 the first ball-point pen was patented by Alonzo T. Cross.

In 1931 Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon completed the first heavier than air nonstop flight over the Pacific. Their flight, begun October 3, lasted 41 hours, 31 minutes and covered 5,000 miles. They piloted their Bellanca CH-200 monoplane from Samushiro, 300 miles north of Tokyo, Japan, to Wenatchee, Washington.

In 1938 Germany invalidated Jews' passports. In 1947 US President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised White House address. In 1965 U.S. forces in Saigon received permission to use tear gas.

Today is the birthday of Robert Goddard, American rocket scientist who held more than 200 rocketry patents. He was born in 1882 and once said "'Just remember - when you think all is lost, the future remains.” It is also the birthday of Ray Kroc, founder of the McDonald's hamburger franchise in 1955. Born in 1902, he once said "Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get."

So what's on today? There's bowls, a money course, chess and for more of what's happening please check out our What's on page on the sunLive website. This is Rosalie Liddle Crawford for SunLive. There's plenty to do today and it's a great day to do it.

To get involved in activities and events, please check out the What's on page on the SunLive website.

Have a great day!