Volunteer lifeguards at Ōmanu Beach carried out a record number of rescues at the weekend.
Dangerous surf conditions, warm weather and long-weekend crowds made Saturday one of the most demanding patrol days with 25 rescues.
Ōmanu Beach Surf Lifesaving Club general manager Scott Bartlett said ina statement it had been the “busiest one-off day” for Ōmanu since records started.
The weekend coincided with Waitangi Day, bringing large numbers of beachgoers.
Ōmanu Beach Surf Lifesaving said in the statement that the patrol began at 11am with 24 qualified lifeguards and about 10 rookie lifeguards on duty.
“All our guards on Saturday were volunteers, who are highly trained, and as a club we are very proud how they managed the day and the number of incidents thrown their way,” Bartlett said.
Flynn Weatherall, patrol captain for the day, was proud of every guard involved, the statement said.
Bartlett told the Bay of Plenty Times: “We are proud of them and all our volunteers who give so freely of their time to protect beach goers between Tay Street and Arataki.”
He said there was a “large number” of holes and rips between Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa.
“People should swim between the flags where possible and listen to all their instructions that may be heard over the loudspeaker system.”
Lifeguard siblings Flynn and Ella Weatherall. Photo / Brydie Thompson
The media statement said lifeguards responded to a major first aid incident involving a suspected acromioclavicular (shoulder joint) dislocation within minutes of the patrol starting.
The patient was administered Green Whistle pain relief before being taken to hospital.
Incidents continued and Bartlett said the team returned more than 25 people to their families.
Seven people needed minor first aid, mainly for large shell cuts.
