Waimarama Surf Club has promising start to season

Luca Broome (left) 12, and Georgia Broome, 7, with Waimarama Surf Life Saving Club director of education Jason Broome. Photo / Warren Buckland

A promising start to the summer season, with increased lifeguards and beach-goers has put those at Waimarama Surf Life Saving Club in good spirits for what's to come.

The club is no doubt going from strength to strength, nurturing the younger generation into becoming among their best and upskilling those on the front line.

Club director of education Jason Broome said the season had been really good so far, with favourable weather conditions, but noted that it was "so changeable".

"We've had some great weekends since October, with lots of people using the beach and we've already had our top head count of more than 350 people last weekend. We've only just hit December so there are good numbers showing up which is great."

Recently, they trained 22 new lifeguards for the current season, adding to their total of 90 - 15 higher than the previous season - and were training junior surf participants as well as 10 13-year-old rookie lifeguards who were patrolling this year.

During the winter, they focused on upskilling, with 40 lifeguards completing first aid courses, from entry level one through to level three pre-hospital emergency care.

"At the moment we've got about a metre and a half surf, with quite a few rips around so people need to swim between the flags but that's the same every year."

Their last fatality was in 2005 and is something Mr Broome hopes to keep that way.

So far, they had rescued eight people, including four young boys who were rescued in late October, after getting caught in the rips, despite wearing life jackets - a high number for "this early in the season".

Outside of patrolling, the guards train and compete in the sport.

"That helps keep their skills and fitness up and enables them to perform rescue effectively on patrol."

Mid-way through next week, regional guards will start, monitoring the beach during the week.

"On average they do about 35 hours voluntary patrolling each, with up to 15 guards patrolling every weekend from 10am to 5pm."

His words of advice are to "swim between the flags within your ability".