Surfer relives sad struggle to help swimmer

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Seven minutes is a long time when you are gripping a surfboard with one arm, a dead man with the other, and being pounded by waves in the gloom off the west coast south of Auckland.

Daniel Whiston was surfing at Karioitahi Beach at 8 pm on Monday when he saw 21-year-old Tevita Siulangapo bobbing in the waves 100m away and paddled over on his board.

The waves grew, whipped up by a sandbar, and crashed over Mr Whiston as he fought to keep the limp, blue body above water. Soon his arms wore out with the struggle, but he refused to let go.

He was haunted by the memory of losing hold of a body in almost the same spot four years ago - and waiting several days for it to be washed ashore.

A dozen of Mr Siulangapo's friends and family had watched helplessly as a strong rip, fuelled by a big lunar tide, took hold of his large frame and pulled him into the ocean.

Perilous rips had snared more than 100 people on west coast beaches since Saturday, but all, until then, had been rescued.

Twenty-year-old Mr Whiston could see the family on the beach but lacked the strength to pull their loved one ashore.

"I wanted to get him in for the family. I was screaming and yelling. I was getting smashed, holding on to the board and him."

Relatives ran up the beach and grabbed off-duty lifeguards, who whipped a boat into the surf and dragged the two men ashore. But the Mangere man could not be revived despite 20 minutes of efforts to resuscitate him.

Lifeguard Nicholas Charman said conditions were atrocious and Mr Siulangapo was wearing trackpants. He was swept to his death at the most dangerous spot on the beach.

Mr Charman and the other lifeguards were upset at the death and were anxious to warn the public about the dangerous tides at our beaches this week.

Swimmers should avoid calm spots in the surf where rips have formed. They should be wary for two hours either side of low tide.

Mr Charman said Karioitahi lifeguards had rescued eight people in seven days, and took preventive action in more than 1000 cases.

On Monday night, Mr Whiston had the worst sleep of his life. Yesterday he returned to the beach - empty except for one lonely sign: Danger.