Pro kiteboarder saves swimmer in trouble at Mangawhai Estuary

Kite-boarder Marc Jacobs rescued a swimmer who had got into difficulty in the estuary mouth on Friday. Photo / Geoff Short

Perfect conditions for a kite surf turned out to be a blessing for one swimmer when a world-champion kiteboarder plucked him to safety.

Pro kiteboarder Marc Jacobs — a two-time Vice word champion — was enjoying the easterly winds at Mangawhai Estuary on Friday when he noticed two young men preparing to cross the estuary on an outgoing tide.

“It’s quite a common thing there,” Jacobs said.

One of the men successfully swam across.

But the other, who Jacobs thought was aged between 19 and 24, made it midway before panicking and attempting to turn around.

“He was basically just splashing and not really tracking forward. He was stuck in the same place and he was fighting the current.”

Jacobs saw the man slowly drift toward him.

“I didn’t anticipate how quickly it went from, ‘Okay, he needs to be rescued’ to, ‘Holy s***, he needs to get rescued right now’.

“He started waving his hand in the air saying, ‘Help, help’,” Jacobs said.

“He was at that bobbing stage when you’re struggling not to go under.

“He wouldn’t have had much longer than a minute.”

Kiteboarder Marc Jacobs performing a trick called "The Rodeo" at Mangawhai Heads. Photo / Geoff Short

Jacobs let the wind pull him toward the young man before telling him to stay calm so that he could help.

“I have rescued people in the past and they do try to grab my kite bar and if my kite crashes, we’re in a problem situation.

“Everything was fine, he seemed like he was hanging on pretty good. So I tried to go as slow as possible so he didn’t lose strength.”

Jacobs said the man appeared to be swallowing a lot of water.

“The channel is quite strong, so you’ve got about 40cm of chop going into your mouth.”

Once they made it to dry land, the man collapsed in exhaustion.

“His friend came running and I was explaining about the situation and how it’s not a good idea [to swim across].”

Jacobs then carried on kiting before noticing the young man appeared to be throwing up water.

IRB crew from Mangawhai Heads Surf Life Saving helped a swimmer who had got into difficulty in the estuary mouth. Photo / Geoff Short

“I explained he might want to get checked out because you can drown. And I didn’t want to leave them in case they tried to swim back.”

A friend of the man then found Surf Life Saving crews, who got there within 10 minutes.

Surf Life Saving NZ general manager Andy Kent said they were notified about a boy coughing up water after trying to cross the estuary about 4.30pm.

“Surf lifeguards took him to the first aid room and monitored him for a short time afterwards.”

Kent said the strong easterly wind caused rough surf that made the water choppy.

“Alongside a turning tide, this made for more dangerous swimming conditions.”

Kent said the estuary was outside the view of lifeguards and urged swimmers to swim between the flags instead.

“This is where lifeguards focus their attention.”

Jacobs thought it would be a good idea to put warning signs not to cross the channel.

He said it was a dangerous area as you could get pulled out quickly and were out of sight of the lifeguards.

“I’ve seen a few guys that get a bit cocky and they get their friends to swim there.”

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.