Lifeguards urge caution in the surf

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

THREE drownings around New Zealand in the past 48 hours have prompted a warning from Gisborne lifeguards for people to take care in the surf, with some good beach days forecast in the lead-up to New Year's Eve and beyond next week.

A man drowned after getting caught in a rip at Onemana Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula yesterday, another man died on Christmas morning at Uretiti Beach, south of Whangarei, and a third man drowned at Kai Iwi Lakes north of Dargaville.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Tairawhiti regional lifeguard supervisor Sonia Keepa has repeated her plea for beachgoers here to remember the key safety messages this summer.

“The first of those key messages is what we call the 3Rs.

“If you are caught in a rip, R-elax, R-aise your hand, R-ide the rip,”

She said people tended to panic when they get caught in a rip. Staying calm and relaxed was key.

“Raise your arm and call for help, and don't fight the rip, or swim against it. Ride with it, let it carry you until you can see breaking waves you can reach. The waves will help you get back to shore.”

Mrs Keepa also reinforced the message for people to swim between the flags when they are at a patrolled beach.

Paid lifeguards have begun week-day operations at Midway, Waikanae, Wainui and Tolaga Bay, with volunteer patrols on at the weekends.

“Listen to the lifeguards and never swim alone. Don't be shy about asking the lifeguards for advice,” Mrs Keepa said.

“Keep children within arms reach and stay within your depth — that's waist height, so that you can always keep your feet firmly on the bottom.”

She said lifeguards were expecting high numbers of people at all beaches this weekend and next week.