Lifeguards saved twice as many lives

The number of rescues at Hawke's Bay beaches almost doubled in the 2014/15 season, rising from 36 to 68. Photo / File

The number of people rescued by lifeguards at Hawke's Bay beaches almost doubled this season.

A Surf Life Saving New Zealand spokeswoman said 68 rescues took place in the region between Westshore, Pacific, Ocean Beach Kiwi and Waimarama Surf Life Saving clubs during the 2014/15 season. This was compared to 36 rescues at these beaches the previous season.

The number of people rescued at Waimarama Beach rose from 13 to 27, while Ocean Beach rescues rose from 8 to 31.

Westshore Beach rescues also rose, from 6 to 7, however, the number of rescues at Pacific decreased from 9 to 3.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Hawke's Bay club support officer Debbie Moody said rescues had likely decreased at Pacific Beach because of increased public awareness about how dangerous swimming at Marine Parade was.

"Not as many people are swimming there - it's not a safe beach," she said.

Meanwhile, Ocean Beach had seen an increase in beach goers and strong currents generated by storms.

The official Surf Life Saving season ended at Easter and final statistics showed nationwide rescues had increased by 27 per cent compared to last season, with more than 1300 people rescued in total.

Six people drowned in Hawke's Bay last year, which was the same number as in 2013. Six drownings is also the region's five-year average.

Last year the number of Hawke's Bay drowning victims who were older men spiked, with 83 per cent of the victims male and aged over 45.

A Water Safety New Zealand spokeswoman said three of the drownings occurred offshore, two at beaches and one at inland still waters. There were two high-profile fatal boating accidents in Mahia last year, both involving boats capsizing. In November, 72-year-old Rare Pohe of Mahia, known as Tonto, died after the the boat he was in capsized. He was related to 57-year-old Malcolm Blake, who died when his small crayfishing boat turned over off Kinikini Rd just three weeks earlier.