Surfers ignore police demands

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

Police had another issue with surfers out in the water yesterday in which two boardriders defied officers for around four hours at a Wainui surf break.

The episode followed a similar incident on Tuesday at The Pipe break at Midway Beach when three surfers stayed in the water for an hour after police gestured to them to return to shore.

Two surfers were out yesterday at a break known as “School” opposite Wainui Beach School in waves in excess of 1.5 metres.

Police gestured to them to return to shore but they refused to do so, and stayed in the water for around four hours. The two men were spoken to by waiting police when they finally came in and were formally warned.

Under the Covid-19 recreation rules surfing has been banned because of the risk of a potential surf rescue situation that would put emergency responders at risk.

Gisborne Boardriders club has called on all members of the surfing fraternity to stick to the lockdown rules.

Meanwhile., Tairawhiti Police will be out in force in communities around Gisborne, Mahia and the East Coast this weekend to make sure people are safe and informed about the Alert Level 4 restrictions.

“We're urging people to stay at home this holiday weekend, and help stop the spread of Covid-19,” police said in a statement.

“People should only be undertaking essential travel, like going to the supermarket or the pharmacy, because this helps prevent the risk of infection.

If you're planning on travelling to holiday homes, change your plans. And if you do breach the rules you can expect to be spoken to by police, who will be visible across the region.

If you plan on going surfing or boating — please don't.

“While you can leave your home to exercise you need to keep it local.

“We are continuing to ask people not to go swimming or surfing or to do things that may require help if they end up getting into trouble because that places others at risk and puts pressure on our emergency services.

“Our first step will be to educate and to talk to people about the rules.

“However, if people continue to breach the restrictions, officers will use their discretion to warn, or if necessary, arrest."