NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Kapiti News

Pete Dixon set to leave Coastguard Kāpiti Coast

David Haxton
By David Haxton
Editor·Kapiti News·
15 Apr, 2021 01:38 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Pete Dixon. Photo / David Haxton

Pete Dixon. Photo / David Haxton

Pete Dixon is leaving Coastguard Kāpiti Coast after 34 years of service.

The unit's stalwart and his wife Marionne are relocating to Hawke's Bay where they will be closer to family.

Pete started his voluntary involvement when he joined the Kāpiti Boating Club based at Paraparaumu Beach.

"In those days the coastguard was part of the boating club.

"They had a rescue craft, which I got involved with."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He's held various positions at the unit including boat skipper and committee vice- president.

His first main callout was when two people, a tailor and an optometrist, "went out sailing and got tipped over".

"We never found their bodies."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Throughout the years various callouts are well remembered.

Pete was involved in a search for two people when a freight plane crashed into the sea.

"I spent many days on that one."

The pilot and co-pilot's bodies were recovered by police divers more than a week later.

Another extensive search involved looking for missing diver Rob Hewitt who was eventually found alive after 75 hours in the sea.

"There were about eight boats out there and I was on-scene control so I had to organise all the vessels and search lines and make sure the spacing was always correct."

Another callout that stood out was "a child trapped under an upturned boat" who thankfully survived.

Only when people aren't wearing lifejackets does Pete's cool and calm demeanour get tested.

Pete Dixon. Photo / David Haxton
Pete Dixon. Photo / David Haxton

"We were called out to three guys on a small boat who were five miles out.

"They had broken down and had no life jackets.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I must admit I lost the plot a bit and tore into them."

Then there was the time a guy in a kayak, who had no lifejacket on, got "a tune-up".

Pete's angst was understandable when you know the strength of the currents and how quickly things can go from good to bad.

Moreover, any time someone went onto the water "**** can happen".

"It's not a problem for people that have got well-maintained boats which are in reasonable condition.

"But if you haven't got all the gear on, that's when I start to get a bit septic on it.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I have asked police to prosecute someone."

Some callouts aren't what they seem, such as when the unit was deployed towards Ōtaki Beach in rough conditions.

"Someone had seen a flashing light.

"The person who saw it was 3-4km inland.

"The flashing light turned out to be an arcing electric fence."

Pete said despite all the training, knowledge of the sea, and the unit rescue boat's capabilities, there was always one overriding consideration.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The No.1 rule is looking after yourself, your crew and the boat – that's the priority."

While a lot of his input has been on board a boat, Pete had also been involved in co-ordinating aerial search responses.

A highlight was receiving a coast air award, which led to a week in Hawaii including three days with the US Coastguard.

Pete, who received a Queen's Service Medal a few years ago, said he would miss the unit's camaraderie.

"I've made some very good friends in the unit over the years."

And with the unpredictable nature of being involved in the coastguard, there was one very important person to acknowledge.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The support of my wife has been truly amazing."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Kapiti News

Kapiti News

Mumpreneur revolutionises property management

15 Dec 11:30 PM
Kapiti News

Kāpiti news in brief: Award-winning nature photo features rare bird nesting

12 Dec 10:48 PM
Kapiti News

Beloved Paraparaumu College teachers bid farewell after long service

11 Dec 10:15 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Kapiti News

Mumpreneur revolutionises property management

Mumpreneur revolutionises property management

15 Dec 11:30 PM

How Chelsea Gill created a family-friendly business.

Kāpiti news in brief: Award-winning nature photo features rare bird nesting

Kāpiti news in brief: Award-winning nature photo features rare bird nesting

12 Dec 10:48 PM
Beloved Paraparaumu College teachers bid farewell after long service

Beloved Paraparaumu College teachers bid farewell after long service

11 Dec 10:15 PM
FreedomLife Te Nikau celebrates 25 years of transforming lives

FreedomLife Te Nikau celebrates 25 years of transforming lives

10 Dec 10:47 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP