Fishing charter rescues paddleboarding visitors

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A woman and a teenage boy on a paddleboard got into difficulties in strong offshore winds at Waikanae yesterday and ended up being rescued near the harbour entrance.

The incident unfolded shortly before 11.30am.

“They were blown over against Butler’s Wall on the Waikanae side and then blown further along the wall to the harbour entrance,” a surf lifesaving spokesman said.

Police were called and an IRB was being organised to rescue them when the pair were picked up by the crew of Touchwood Fishing Charters as they returned to Eastland Port.

A couple of off-duty lifeguards from Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae paddled out to them but just as they got there, the fishing vessel arrived.

The pair, visitors to Gisborne and staying at the Waikanae Top 10 Holiday Park, were taken to Touchwood’s berth in the inner harbour.

They were tired but otherwise OK.

The paddleboard was also recovered.

Paid lifeguard services on the city beaches ended for the summer last Friday.

“So on day two this week, without regional lifeguards, this happens,” the lifesaving spokesman said. “It’s still a busy time in the school holidays, with so many people on the beaches.

“One hundred percent in my opinion, there should still be lifeguards on duty during the week until schools go back.”