"Just because it's no longer summer, doesn't mean the issue of drowning goes away. And we're asking people to be careful, especially at beaches now that Surf Life Saving New Zealand's patrols are ending for the season," he said.
On average 44 per cent of drownings each year happened in the cooler months from the start of April until the end of October. 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 Tont 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.
Thirty-four people have drowned in New Zealand waters so far this year, including one preschooler. At the corresponding time last year there had been 31 deaths.
Northland has the highest number of drownings this year (six), followed by Auckland (five) and Waikato and Wellington (four each).
Ten of the victims were swimming when they drowned.
Meanwhile, the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter crew airlifted a 48-year-old man to Hawke's Bay hospital after he nearly drowned while snorkelling at Kairakau Beach on Saturday.
A hospital spokeswoman said he was discharged later that day.
