Holidaymakers rush to beach

SURF PATROL: Riversdale lifeguards help keep swimmers safe as Wairarapa holidaymakers take to the beach this summer. PHOTO/FILE

With temperatures soaring, Wairarapa holidaymakers have been hitting the beach earlier than expected.

Visitors to Riversdale beach have already reached as many as 300 a day, a figure normally expected during the New Year's peak.

Riversdale Surf Life Saving Club captain Mike Taylor said the numbers normally peaked around Wellington anniversary weekend, but good weather had brought many to the beach earlier this year.

"It's been very busy ... a lot of people don't normally come to the beach until later, but this year they have."

"There's been some good surf and quite a few surfers out."

The club has about 10 lifeguards on duty, covering shifts from between 9.30 am and 5.30pm, at either end of the beach to help people stay safe in the water.

So far beach-goers had been behaving sensibly in the water, Mr Taylor said.

"There's been a bit of a current out there a couple of days but people have been sensible and are listening to the lifeguards."

Camp Anderson director Tania Hopman said summer bookings were strong at the Riversdale camp ground.

"Bookings are really good and the weather has been on our side ... it's pretty busy all right."

She had been rushed off her feet hosting a whanau reunion of 130 people over Christmas, she said.

The camp is open for family groups until its school holiday programme gets under way on January 12.

Manager of Castlepoint Holiday Park and Motels Lynelle Ellis said there were "heaps and heaps" of people at the beach during Christmas.

"It was just chocka."

All of their motel units were already booked for New Year's and there were hardly any campsites still available."

Beach activities: The Riversdale Surf Life Saving Club is running a daily children's beach programme from 9am-12am.

The programme, which is suitable for children aged 5 to 14, combines fun games, swimming and water safety. For more information contact the club house on 06 372 3461 or Mike Taylor on 027 4626260.