Paid lifeguards ready to go

ON DUTY: The weekday paid surf lifeguard service starts on Monday. Among those who will be patrolling beaches are, back row (from left): Jason McMillan, Theo Weatherley, Hue Cowie, Edan Wilson, Noah Collier and Jonty Evans. Front: Luke Seufert, Thomas Dodds, Jack Keepa, Katie Foster and Bella Fitzharris, with Tairāwhiti club development officer Nick Wagstaff. Picture supplied

Paid surf lifeguard service on Gisborne's main beaches starts on Monday at Waikanae, Midway and Wainui.

The 15 lifeguards selected for this summer have prepared for the role and and are ready and raring to go.

Paid lifeguards start in Tolaga Bay on Thursday, December 22, and run through to January 6.

The Gisborne beaches will be patrolled weekdays until January 20.

The surf clubs will patrol on a voluntary basis at the weekends through to March.

“The beach is a dynamic environment so we encourage the community to check for the latest information on patrol locations, patrol times and other information such as weather and tides,” Tairāwhiti surf lifesaving club development officer Nick Wagstaff says.

“Always choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the flags.

“The public can go to the Beach Basics page on the Surf Life Saving NZ website for other safety messages.”

The lifeguards selected were, as usual, of a high standard, he said.

Most were from the Gisborne area but some had been brought in from Bay of Plenty.