Drownings down to zero at patrolled beaches

ALERT: Lifeguard Clarissa Nowak keeps an eye on swimmers at Castlecliff beach. She's one of about 30 guards who will patrol both this beach and Mowhanau beach this summer. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 20115WCSMBEACH6

Beachgoers heed safety messages

Educating beach users and having a professional lifeguard service covering Wanganui beaches are touted as the major reasons drowning in patrolled zones has been eliminated.

Despite hundreds flocking to the beaches each year, there hasn't been a drowning at either Castlecliff or Mowhanau for "many, many years" says Castlecliff Surf Lifesaving Club stalwart Phil Gilmore, who oversees the annual summer patrol roster at both beaches.

The patrols started on December 20 and run until March. This season there hasn't been a single rescue, because "Wanganui people are very, very good".

Mr Gilmore has a pool of about 30 lifeguards he can roster.

And it's those lifeguards who decide on a daily basis whether the beaches are safe for swimming or not.

"We'll pick the safest areas of the beach for an average person. If it's not safe then we'll cross the flags to signal the beach is closed. If it's not safe then we'll keep them (swimmers) out of that environment."

He said the public was very good at responding to the flags and patrols. "We've been educating the public and the children for years. The parents we're getting on the beach now have been through our programmes and are bringing their kids here."

While the beach was closed yesterday morning and wind kept numbers down, on New Year's Day there were 500 people at Castlecliff in the afternoon and 800 at Mowhanau, all up, he said.

Mr Gilmore joined the Castlecliff club in 1967 and has held virtually every position in the club, overseeing the guards who are all paid thanks to funding provided by the Wanganui District Council. "We're one of the only councils in the country that funds the lifeguards over the entire summer period and they've been doing that since the 1990s."

Before that the club was averaging 180 rescues each summer and there had been fatalities. "But since we went into a professional environment and stepped up our education programmes we've got the number of fatalities down to zero on the patrolled beaches," he said.

Mr Gilmore said it was about prevention "and that's why the lifeguards are always out there talking to people on both beaches".

There are four lifeguards and a supervisor at both beaches from midday to 6pm every day. If they know more people are likely to come to the beaches for the day then they will call in support.

Some of those on the roster will work right through, but all of the guards will share duties between Castlecliff and Mowhanau beaches during the summer.

Mr Gilmore said Castlecliff beach was no different than Piha near Auckland. "All the time it's changing and there will be rips and holes appearing. It can be beautiful and tranquil and then instantly turn ugly. But that's the nature of the west coast beaches."