More people getting into trouble in the surf

Thursday, 25 January 2018

The number of people rescued by surf lifesavers in the upper North Island has more than doubled in a year.

And to keep up with a high demand on their services, the area's lifeguards have worked more than 3000 extra hours, Surf Life Saving Northern Region lifesaving manager Duncan Buchanan said.

There have been 230 people plucked from the water at the region's 20 patrolled beaches, compared to 87 at this point last season, he said.

Those needing 'major first aid' has nearly doubled, from 45 to 88.

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Provisional data from Surf Life Saving New Zealand showed an increase across the whole country, though not by as much.

The number of rescues from life-threatening situations at this point in the season last year was up six to 264, and the number of people assisted to safety up 99 to 864.

It was possible this season's numbers could increase though with paperwork yet to be entered, spokeswoman Lisa Smith said.

In total lifeguards performed 612 rescues nationally last season, as well as 1184 assists.

The weekend gone was another busy one for those patrolling our northern beaches, which stretch from Raglan to Ninety Mile Beach.

There were 39 rescues on January 20-21, with 34 of them on Auckland's west coast.

Buchanan said conditions at these black sand beaches had been 'a bit of a perfect storm' for people getting into trouble in the water.

This was due not just to warm weather drawing large crowds, but also a large swell, offshore winds, and midday low tides – when waves were more powerful and closer together.

'We had a lot of water moving along that west coast,' he said.

At Bethells Beach three people were rescued together after 'big sweepers' knocked them off their feet in waist-deep water and dragged them out to sea.

Eight people were also rescued at Piha.

But lifeguards at nearby Muriwai Beach were the busiest, with 1680 people on the beach at its busiest and 22 people rescued.

On Friday night, a male and female were also flown to hospital from Muriwai Beach, after being rescued by surfers.

The beach is notoriously dangerous with lifeguards having rescued 41 people there the weekend prior.

Buchanan said the safest place to swim at a beach was between the flags.

'Lifeguards know the beach, know the conditions, better than anyone – and they are continually monitoring and adjusting that area,' he said.

'We've seen relatively good behaviour across most of the beaches, but there are always the few that underestimate their own ability, underestimate the conditions.'

Information on what and when Auckland beaches are patrolled by lifeguards can be found on the Safeswim website, as well as beach conditions and hazards.