A surf lifesaving club says Wairarapa water-lovers are getting the message about water safety - despite a recent spate of New Zealand drownings.
"This last year we had a big push at prevention rather than letting people get into trouble," said Mike Taylor, Riversdale Surf Lifesaving Club captain.
Mr Taylor said a successful awareness campaign in the region had helped explain local conditions to beach-goers and involved extra signs.
"The lifeguards themselves are a lot more proactive at approaching people and talking to them about what's going on."
One person has drowned in Wairarapa so far this year and a further four in the Greater Wellington region, according to Water Safety New Zealand statistics.
Richard Ian Lord, 53, died in April while snorkelling near White Rock.
In another incident, Puketoi rugby player Eroni Gaunavou, 22, went missing of the Akitio coast while swimming with friends at Easter.
His body has never been found.
Although this happened off the Wairarapa coast, the drowning falls into Manawatu-Wanganui statistics.
Puketoi Rugby Club president Bruce Bowie said the search was eventually called off, and they are "pretty definite" his body will never be recovered. "Nothing was ever found of him, unfortunately."
Sixty people have died in New Zealand waters this year - 20 fewer than at this time last year.
The victims are predominantly young and middle-aged men.
Police are still looking for the bodies of two men after three people were swept away while rock climbing at Paritutu Rock in New Plymouth on August 8.
A Wellington man drowned on Saturday after his boat capsized while he was fishing with a friend in Wellington Harbour.
Drowning has been described as a "community issue" affecting anyone irrespective of age, ethnicity, gender or social economic status.
It is consistently the third highest cause of unintentional death in New Zealand, surpassed only by road vehicle crashes and accidental falls.
In March, eight people died off the coast of Stewart Island when the fishing vessel Easy Rider was hit by a large wave and flipped.
Maritime New Zealand safety inspector Alistair Thomson said half of all recreational boating deaths could have been avoided if victims had worn life jackets.
But it was also crucial to carry communications equipment on board a vessel.
"Carry a waterproof hand-held VHF radio or an emergency locator beacon on your person."
Weather and a lack of planning were the other key contributors to recreational boating fatalities, Mr Thomson said.
Water Safety New Zealand and its members have achieved considerable success at reducing the drowning death toll since its inception in 1949.
Over the past 29 years, drowning numbers have fallen 60 per cent since a record high in 1985 of 215, to a low of 87 in 2010.APNZ
DROWNING STATISTICSOne person has drowned in Wairarapa this year
Five people have drowned in Greater Wellington this year
55 men and five women have died nationwide
Most drownings have occurred offshore (18), at beaches (12) and in tidal waters (11)
Most drowning victims were aged 45 to 54, closely followed by 25 to 34 year olds