Teenagers caught in a rip, who were luckily spotted in time, are among more than 50 people rescued by lifeguards at some of the North Island’s holiday hotspots in just over two weeks.
It comes as swimmers are warned to be cautious in the water after lifeguards recorded target="_blank">dozens of first-hand shark sightings in two weeks, with nine on Wednesday alone.
Surf Lifesaving NZ eastern region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said thousands of people hit beaches in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel over the Christmas-new year holiday period.
He said the region’s surf lifesavers had rescued 56 people and assisted 62 more to safety between December 18 and January 2.
Several of those rescued were swimming outside of flagged patrol areas between Mount Maunganui and Arataki, including two teens caught in a rip about 50 metres from the beach near Tay St and a 35-year-old man and 5-year-old child who got into difficulty at Arataki.
He said the four swimmers were rescued by lifeguards who had been doing roaming patrols every 30 minutes.
“These were textbook rescues by our lifeguards, who luckily spotted the swimmers when they did, meaning lives were saved.”
Gibbons-Campbell called for beachgoers to “stay out of the water” if they had any doubts about their abilities to cope with the challenging sea conditions and never underestimate the dangers that may be lurking under the surf.
He said the number of rescues and people assisted to safety between December 18 and January 2 this year was down compared to the 184 rescues and 208 assists in the same period last summer, which included 130 rescues in one day due to “gnarly king tide conditions”.
“We have not had the same significant level of swell [up to 1 metre] as we did last year. Yet, even at that level, everyone needs to be vigilant as there are several inshore holes and rip currents right along the coastline.”
Gibbons-Campbell said Mount Maunganui beach had “quite dangerous” sea conditions at times with “lots of shore dumps” around high tide that were particularly challenging for younger people and seniors.
A strong rip current known as “the escalator” and heading out to sea, runs parallel to Moturiki/Leisure Island when the tide is going out.
Mid to low-tide at Tay St, Ōmanu, and Pāpāmoa East beaches were “dangerous times” for swimmers with strong currents and people diving into shallow waters often hitting sandbanks and being injured.
“At Pāpāmoa there is another really big rip current right in front of the campground.
“I cannot implore people enough to only swim in areas where and when our lifeguards are on duty. And never swim alone or after having too many bevvies.”
He said the region’s lifeguards had also provided first aid after several medical events, including dislocated shoulders and knees and heat-related incidents.
Gibbons-Campbell urged beachgoers who could not float to stay out of the water and to keep children within an arm’s length.
Gibbons-Campbell said most of the more than 50 sharks lifeguards had seen across the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel in the past fortnight were believed to be under 1.5 metres – not big enough to cause alarm.
However, he said beachgoers should take precautions including not swimming at dusk or dawn when sharks are feeding or swimming near people fishing.
“Most are harmless and more afraid of us than we are of them. If you see a shark while out in the water, remain calm, exit the water and tell others around you.”
In Pāpāmoa on Wednesday, a bronze whaler shark was photographed only about 20m from people on the beach.
Last week marine scientist Dr Riley Elliott said the El Nino climate shift would bring more cool and fish-rich waters along the coastline, attracting more sharks.
Elliott told the Bay of Plenty Times the recent number of sightings was not large when compared to the entire coastline and the fact the region was a “nursery and pupping” area for sharks, as well as where they sunbathed and rested.
The sightings were likely to predominantly be bronze whalers.
He urged people to respect the sharks’ space, swim between surf lifesaving flags and for anyone who spotted a shark to calmly remove themselves from the water until it had moved on.
He said sharks posed “very little risk” to people if shown the respect and the space they deserved.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She covers mainly police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.