Busy beach season, but Whanganui has no drownings

The Manawatū-Whanganui area has had just five drownings over the last 10 years. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The Whanganui area has so far come through the summer with no drownings and few incidents of note, according to the local surf life saving club.

That is consistent with how it has been over the last decade, as stated in the recently released 2020-21 Beach & Coastal Safety Report, which said Whanganui had just five drownings since 2011.

That is just those who have drowned at beach and coastline or coastlines, not including drownings in the Whanganui River or other water sources.

The report showed a number of New Zealanders lacked the ability to safely swim.

There have been no drownings at beaches in the Whanganui area this summer despite it being one of the busiest in recent years, according to Wanganui Surf Life Saving Club administrator Matthew Newell.

"We have had some pretty good weather which has added to that."

There had been just a few incidents requiring assistance, Newell said.

"In the previous years, we have had a few incidents with drunk or drugged people in the water, but we haven't had any issues with that this year."

According to the report, nearly three in 10 New Zealanders cannot swim or float in the ocean for more than a few minutes and only 9 per cent of adults swam further than 50m in the ocean in 2021, while over one quarter have never swum this distance in the ocean.

Newell said people vastly underestimated the risks that come with being in the water.

Rip currents are the greatest hazard at a surf beach; however, research showed nearly 60 per cent of New Zealanders cannot identify a rip.

"You can have the strongest swimmer and they can't fight rips," said Newell.

"Especially at Castlecliff Beach, there are some holes and some pretty powerful rips that need to be managed and people just don't know how to identify them."

Newell referred to the 3Rs campaign, which offers three simple tips for those around rips; relax, raise your hand and ride the rip.

Before going in the water, it was wise to talk to the lifeguards, he said.

"Our lifeguards every day before they put the flags out, they do a condition swim and sit there and float on their rescue tube and see what the currents are doing, so they know what the conditions are like.

"When the lifeguards are there, they will go out and get you so just relax and let it rip."

The Wanganui Surf Life Saving Club has finished its weekday patrols, but will still be patrolling for the next three weekends, with the last day of patrol for the summer being February 27.