Waipātiki Beach rescues: Four people swept off feet and into rip on Christmas Day

Lifeguards at Waipātiki Beach, Hawke's Bay. Composite image.

Four Hawke’s Bay beachgoers paddling on the shoreline were swept off their feet and into a rip on Christmas day.

Across the past week, members of Hawke’s Bay’s Paid Lifeguard Service, which provides weekday coverage and service at locations without regular volunteer patrols, conducted seven rescues at beaches across the region.

Four of them were at Waipātiki Beach, north of Napier on Christmas Day.

Waipātiki Beach patrol captain Art Woodley-Hanan said when the tide at the beach went from high to low, the current could sweep people in the water off their feet and take them out in rips.

Woodley-Hanan said the headcount of people on the beach was 260 on Thursday, and there was a reasonably large swell.

As the tides were changing, the current pulled four people off their feet, two of them children, and pushed them into a rip, he said.

Woodley-Hanan said it was fortunate he had two guards at the ready by the flags who jumped into action, with one guard managing to save three in one go by himself.

Hawke’s Bay lifeguard supervisor Luca Broome said people should be aware of how dangerous a beach could be, especially at Waipātiki.

“It’s quite a small bay and there’s lots of water pushing in. So, it’s all got to go out and then rips form.

“It can be quite hairy at times.”

Broome said it was always important for people to check the beach they were headed to had lifeguards on patrol.

Lifeguards patrol some of the most popular Hawke’s Bay beaches from 10am to 5pm seven days a week until January 25.

Woodley-Hanan said it was “really important” to swim between the flags, but caregivers and parents should also stay within arm’s reach of their children if they’re swimming, even between the flags.

“We’re not babysitters, we’re here to do a job and help the community, but we can’t look after every kid, so it’s really important that parents are stepping up and keeping their children supervised and within reach.”

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.