A young swimmer is rescued 157m off Marine Parade in heavy swells in 2019. / Coast Guard Hawke's Bay
A Hawke's Bay builder turned volunteer coastguard crew member who helped with the dramatic rescue of a child during the Art Deco Festival in 2019 has encouraged others to join the team.
Matt Harvey, who is celebrating 10 years as a Coastguard Hawke's Bay volunteer, said his most dramatic rescueoccurred after a 14-year-old boy got caught in rolling swell off Marine Parade in February last year.
The public tried to help the teenager, along with three friends, by using part of a camper van toilet as a flotation device, but were unable to reach the group.
Crew member Matt Harvey is celebrating 10 years as a Coastguard Hawke's Bay volunteer. Photo / Paul Taylor
Harvey and three other volunteers were on the scene within minutes in their rescue vessel to find the group trapped in the surf 157 metres offshore, unable to swim and tiring fast.
The volunteer said while the Napier waterfront isn't considered overly dangerous, with a little bit of swell "it turns into a washing machine".
"We were aboard a 12 metre, 12 tonne vessel with 1000 horsepower, and we were getting buckled around in there," he said.
He said being Art Deco weekend, a crowd had begun to gather and watch.
The Coastguard rescues a teenager swept 157 metres out to sea off Marine Parade on Art Deco weekend, 2019. Photo / Supplied
"As we threw a life buoy to the exhausted teen and pulled him out of the water, fatigued and cold, a cheer went up from the beach," he said.
"Everyone was clapping and cheering. It's that sort of stuff that makes you really want to be in the coastguard."
Harvey and the 2200 other volunteer coastguard workers across New Zealand were celebrated on International Volunteer Day last week.
Harvey, who was introduced to the sea by his sailor grandfather, said his father followed the tradition by buying a family boat.
The volunteer, who joined the coastguard in 2010 after a recommendation from a family member, has made his way through the ranks up to skipper and since into training roles.
A builder by trade, Harvey said he is lucky his employer is understanding of his commitment, often having to drop his tools and go.
"The support from employers is huge," he said. "If we can't be allowed to leave our workplace, there's no rescue happening.
"But there is plenty of opportunity with the coastguard. You can do so much, you can go quite far."
The Coastguard Hawke's Bay crew respond to about 40 incidents on average each year – made up of about equal number of fishermen and recreational boaties on the water.
Over the weekend, the Hawke's Bay team were called to one incident – a 100 metre tow of a small powered boat that had broken down in Westshore.
Coastguard Hawke's Bay skipper Henry van Tuel said the crew and wider whanau ended the weekend with a Christmas celebration on the water.
"Although our wet and radio crew get the headlines, it is the support of our wonderful whanau that enables us to turn out for rescues, assists and training sessions - especially those 2am callouts," he said.
