Lifeguards pleased with beachgoers’ behaviour

LOTS OF ASSISTS: Tairawhiti surf lifeguards have carried out lots of preventative actions and ‘assists' so far this summer but so far in the patrol season there has not been a single rescue on our beaches. This great shot of the patrol flags at Midway and Waikanae and kitesurfers having fun was taken at New Year. Picture by Liam Clayton

It has been a pretty quiet summer so far for the region's surf lifeguards with no significant rescues by either the volunteer or paid guards to date.

The paid patrols will operate weekdays through until January 22 at Wainui, Waikanae and Midway beaches, and they conclude at Tolaga Bay on Friday.

The volunteers work through until early March.

“The paid guards have had no rescues to date, but they have carried out a lot of preventative actions and assists,” said club development officer for Tairawhiti, and regional lifeguard supervisor, Sonia Keepa.

“On some occasions we've used IRBs to get people out of tricky situations, like rips, before they actually got themselves into trouble, particularly at Midway and Wainui on New Year's Day.

“To my knowledge the volunteer patrols at the weekends have not had a rescue yet either, but again they've done a number of preventatives and assists.”

Mrs Keepa said the behaviour of beachgoers had been really good.

“People have been listening to the advice given by the lifeguards, and at Wainui we have had people walking along the beach to swim between the flags which we really like to see.

“It indicates our messaging around beach safety is getting through to people.”

The R&V period was a lot quieter than usual on the beaches, she said.

“The weather helped keep the beach numbers down during the festival time this year, which was really good, because we had a sizeable swell running and that was a concern to us.

“We would see some festival-goers come down to the beach, race into the surf mainly between the flags, and then get out again and leave.”