Lagoons near Iwitea Beach, where two family members drowned in 2013. Photo / File
Sage Smith used to greet his whanau with a great big hug.
He was a loving man who bravely tried to save his nephew before rough seas took them both.
His whanau remember the Wairoa man and his 7-year-old Auckland-based nephew, Kustom Blandford, fondly.
If you saw Sage six times he would hug you six times a day, his aunty Jane Walker said.
And she described Kustom as a "beautiful young boy" and a high achiever at school who died just a day before his eighth birthday.
On November 4, 2013, whanau were gathering for a wedding and two unveilings at Iwitea Marae when Mr Smith, 22, asked if anyone would like to visit the 12 sacred totara which lie in sand dunes at a wahi tapu (sacred place) near Iwitea Beach.
Three youths, including Kustom, left the marae to join him, according to a coroner's report released yesterday.
During the four-kilometre walk to the coast, about 15km north of Wairoa, they came across local farmer Ian Denton, who warned them the "dangerous" beach wasn't suitable for swimming.
Despite this, the group entered the water on arrival about midday.
However, Mr Smith cautioned the group to "hold hands" and insisted they were allowed to get only their feet wet.
A rogue wave then knocked the young swimmers over.
Mr Smith plucked one from the surf before himself being caught by a wave and washed out to sea with Kustom.
"Sage, like, had his heavy boots, like, like he always wears, and his heavy jeans, and he had his shirt on," one witness said.
"And he took his shirt off to go after Kustom, but Kustom was too ... far out."
Mr Smith then tried to swim to his nephew, who was yelling "uncle, uncle", but the two were swept in different directions and the whanau soon lost sight of them.
After police were called, a helicopter spotted Kustom's body about 1.30pm and Mr Smith's body was found an hour later.
Coroner Carla na Nagara said the incident was a "devastating double tragedy", yet praised Mr Smith's selfless actions.
"Sage drowned attempting a brave rescue of his younger relative without regard for his own safety," she said.
Ms Walker, from Mahia, said that the pair were still deeply mourned by their families.
"They are truly missed," she said.
Whanau went to where the pair died the day after the accident and let off fireworks in their memory.
They were overwhelmed by the response from Wairoa people.
"For a small town that cops a bad rap, the aroha and support shown by the community was amazing," Ms Walker said.
Five days after the deaths, the wedding took place at the Mormon church next to the cemetery where the two were buried.
At the time of the incident a few locals pushed for signs to be erected at the beach warning of the danger, but Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the long stretch of coastline meant signage would be difficult to implement.
Wairoa Police Sergeant Aubrey Ormond yesterday said there had been other drownings in the district since the incident.
"All of these people were locals who knew the sea but a split second's inattention or a lapse in vigilance over safety can have tragic consequences," Mr Ormond said.
"That stretch of coastline is still a beautiful place and the sea provides an abundance of food for the locals but we always need to be aware of the dangers that the sea presents."
Northern HB drownings
November 6, 2014:
Local 72-year-old Rare Toheriri Pohe, known as "Tonto", died after his small boat flipped between Table Cape and Portland Island.
October 16, 2014:
Local man Malcolm "Cabbage" Blake, 47, died after his boat flipped near Mahia on the peninsula's southern coast.
March 2, 2014:
Suzanne Faye Rowse, 47, died when she ran into the sea to try to save her young son and
another boy in difficulties at Blue Bay, west of Mahia.
November 4, 2013:
Wairoa's Sage Smith, 22, and his 7-year-old nephew, Kustom Blandford, died after being swept out to sea at Iwitea Beach.