Four of Northland's main surf beaches will have lifeguards patrolling them from this weekend - but there'll be no paid lifeguards patrolling Baylys Beach this summer, while Ahipara will start getting patrolled by paid guards from December.
Labour Weekend is the unofficial start of summer in Northland and it's also when lifeguards start patrolling some of our surf beaches.
Ocean Beach, Waipu Cove, Ruakaka and Mangawhai Heads will start being patrolled from Saturday until April 2, while Ahipara will have paid guards from December 16 to February 6. However, lack of funding means Baylys Beach, on the west coast, won't be patrolled this summer, Surf Life Saving New Zealand said.
The surf lifesavers are a crucial part of Northland's summer beach experience, saving lives and preventing injury in the water and on the beach.
Surf Life Saving NZ said the summer of 2016/2017 was the coldest summer in the last five years, with a deep La Nina cycle in the waters around New Zealand which caused more south-westerly breezes than summers in recent years.