Beachgoers and boaties keep rescuers busy

Rescue workers attend to a man pulled from the surf at Hot Water Beach Monday. Photo / Supplied

Holidaymakers flocking to the beaches now that the rain has cleared are being warned to take care after a surf lifesaving season that has already had too many close calls.

Last night a man drowned at Papamoa Beach and on Monday night two men were pulled from the surf at Hot Water Beach close to death after entering the water in heavy clothing and into a dangerous rip.

The men were among 24 rescues at the beach in just 10 days, many of which have occurred after people have ignored warnings from lifeguards about the dangers, such as rips, swimming outside the flags or after patrols have finished for the day.

Despite the relatively bad weather lifeguards say more than 48,000 people have flocked to beaches in Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel over the holiday period.

Of those, at least 95 people have had to be rescued, several of whom have been taken to hospital in a serious or critical condition and are considered lucky to be alive.

In the Northern Region, Christmas Day was the busiest of the season so far, attracting more than 7200 people to the beaches, but New Year's Eve was the busiest for the guards who carried out 17 rescues, nine of which occurred at Bethells Beach.

Yesterday just over 5000 hit the beaches, generating 10 rescues, none of which required hospitalisation, seven first-aid interventions and 720 preventive measures.

And it's not just lifeguards who were busy. Coastguard staff responded to 18 jobs yesterday, as people enjoyed their last public holiday.

Duty Officer Catherine Andrews said the vast majority of the jobs were for flat batteries or mechanical issues.

However, bigger jobs included responding to three people who received superficial injuries when their 7.6m yacht washed on to the rocks at Palm Beach on Waiheke Island and dealing with a 4.5m boat which capsized just off Manu Bay, near Raglan, as it was nearing the boat ramp.

All five adults on board made it to shore wet but unharmed.

MetService forecaster Allister Gorman said the weather for the upper North Island should continue much the same as it was yesterday for the next few days - cloudy but generally fine - before rain arrives this weekend.

With that in mind lifeguards are appealing for beachgoers to heed their warnings and take care at the beaches.

Trust Waikato/Hotwater Beach Lifeguard Service chairman Gary Hinds, who was involved in Monday's dramatic rescue, said people should take extra care and listen to the lifeguards, especially if they aren't strong swimmers.

"At the present moment [for] a lot of the people we are telling them where to swim or not to go swimming in certain areas and you look back 10 minutes later and they have gone in there anyway."

He said a lot of the people getting into trouble couldn't swim.

"At the end of the day the sea is a great place to have fun and get out there and enjoy it, [but] unless you know the beach and can swim I'd be a little bit more cautious.

"A lot of the beaches have lifeguards and they are more than willing to help you out as much as they can by answering your questions."

THE NUMBERS
Holidaying at the beaches:

48,000
people at the beaches in Northland, Auckland and Coromandel since Christmas Day

95
rescues

70
first aid treatments

4100
preventive measures taken by lifeguards