Chris and 3-year-old Rose Watt cooling down in searing temperatures on New Year's Day at Ruakākā Beach. Photo / Tania Whyte
The death of a motorcyclist and dozens of ambulance callouts were the only blight in an otherwise peaceful New Year's Eve and the weekend as thousands took to the outdoors in searing temperatures.
A motorcyclist died after coming off the road on State Highway 12 in Kaihu, 28km northwest of Dargaville, about 12.20am yesterday.
The male rider died at the scene while his passenger received moderate injuries and was taken to Whangārei Hospital.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.
St John ambulance crews across Northland responded to 37 incidents between 10pm on Friday and 3am on Saturday which was on par with New Year's Eve 2020.
The most common callouts were for unconscious people or fainting, which accounted for 16 per cent of incidents attended, and falls, which constituted 13.5 per cent of ambulance responses.
Other callouts included GP referrals, chest pain, and breathing problems.
The Surf Lifesaving Northern region had a reasonably busy day to start the year with extraordinarily high head counts at nearly all the beaches and a steady flow of incidents all day in Northland and Auckland.
Far North Surf Rescue rescued one kayaker who got caught in the offshore wind and struggled to make any headway in returning to shore in Ahipara.
Two lifeguards responded in an inflatable raft to rescue the kayaker who was about 1km offshore by the time they reached her.
They also assisted a kite-surfer who was 3.5km offshore around the point near Peaks.
"Because the surfer was a significant distance from shore, the lifeguards launched an IRB to check on him but he was okay when they reached him and did not require any assistance. Lifeguards continued to watch and monitor him until he was closer to shore."
Meanwhile in Paihia — Northland's worst New Year's Eve trouble spot in years gone by — police made just two arrests by midnight during a peaceful evening dominated by family groups, many of them holidaymakers from Auckland.
Senior Sergeant Phil Le Comte, of Mid North police, said the cancellation of Business Paihia's midnight fireworks display meant a lot of people had stayed away.
A limit of 100 people per hospitality venue, due to Northland's red traffic light setting, had also reduced the crowds.
''It was a very different New Year's Eve. The whole dynamic was not one we've witnessed before,'' he said.
Police hadn't known what to expect so they kept up a visible presence with drink-drive checkpoints, foot patrols, hotel visits and enforcement of the town's liquor ban.
The two arrests for disorderly behaviour stemmed from isolated incidents. They had been transported to the police cells at Kaikohe, Le Comte said.
''Overall behaviour was very pleasing. Everyone was out and about in good spirits. It was a welcome reprieve from previous years.''
In past years the most crowded spots have been those offering the best views of the fireworks; this time many people congregated at Horotutu Park instead or tried their luck with a bit of late-night fishing.
They included Jay Pihema and his daughter Heaven, 6, who were filling in the time until midnight at Paihia wharf with their favourite pastime and offering fishing tips to curious holidaymakers.
Pihema, from Kawakawa, said they were spending the night at his nana's place in Paihia.
''We're catching up with cousins, uncles and aunties we haven't seen for a while because of Covid, and spending the night doing the things we love — fishing, eating and all that."
In Waipu, pipers and drummers wowed the crowd during a free mini concert at Caledonia Park on a balmy Saturday afternoon after the Highland Games were again cancelled due to Covid.
The Highland Games have been running since 1871.
On the Covid front, there were no new cases in Northland in the 48 hours to midnight on Saturday.
There are currently six active Northland cases, and the total number of confirmed cases is 106.
One hundred cases have been released from isolation.
No new locations of interest were notified in Northland.
From this Wednesday, people only need to wait for four months since their last dose to be able to access a booster shot through walk-in clinics.