Water Safety New Zealand warns swimmers and boaties that any form of water is a potential risk. Photo / NZME
Whanganui has no shortage of great swimming spots.
Erin Smith asks the experts how to stay safe in the water this summer.
Whanganui features at least four types of water bodies with their own unique dangers: the beaches along Whanganui’s coastline, the river and freshwater spots such as Lake Wiritoa, and swimming pools.
“Any form of water is a potential risk,” Water Safety New Zealand communications and advocacy manager Elizabeth Collins said.
“Every drowning that takes place in New Zealand could have been prevented.”
What are the potential dangers at our beaches?
Whanganui Surf Lifeguard Service (WSLS) lifeguard co-ordinator Olivia Bedwell said there were several risks at Whanganui beaches.
“Rip currents pose the biggest risk to swimmers across the country,” she said.
Rips are deeper channels at beaches that funnel the water brought in by waves back out to sea, creating strong currents.
The strength of a rip depends on the size of the waves around it – the bigger the waves, the stronger the rip will be.
“They can easily take unsuspecting swimmers from shallow water to much deeper areas,” Bedwell said.
To spot a rip, swimmers should note where along the beach looks calmer or different. Criss-crossing or messy, smaller waves may indicate a rip.
“A common mistake people make is choosing to swim at the calmest-looking spot along the beach,” Bedwell said.
“Calm patches of water that form in among waves often indicate rips or holes, which unsuspecting people can become stuck in.”
Swimmers should always swim between the patrol flags when present or, if the flags are not set up, choose a part of the beach where waves are breaking evenly.
Bedwell said rips were prevalent at Kai Iwi Beach and Castlecliff Beach.
Rips tend to form around the cliff or bunker area of Kai Iwi Beach and become stronger at high tide.
Bedwell said beachgoers should stay away from the cliffs at Kai Iwi as they “are constantly eroding, and are not safe to approach, climb, or sit beneath”.
At Castlecliff, the steep drop-offs close to shore can catch people off guard and create dangerous shore breaks.
She recommends always swimming when a lifeguard is present, never swimming alone and if caught, remember the three Rs: relax, raise your hand, and ride the rip.
What about for boaties?
Water safety at the beach also affects boaties.
Whanganui Coastguard president Steve Turfrey encouraged boaties to wear life jackets, have two forms of communication, and share their plans and how many people are on board with someone on land or the coastguard.
“We don’t mind if things change, just let us know,” he said.
Crossing the bar is especially dangerous.
Turfrey said crossing a bar within two hours before or after low tide was best avoided, and to always check and plan around the weather before attempting to cross.
Boaties should log bar crossings with the coastguard to help them track what boats make the crossing and who is still out, so they can respond quickly if something goes wrong.
“If there are any changes that are uncomfortable out there, it’s probably a sign that it’s time to come home earlier rather than later,” Turfrey said.
Boaties should use caution around other vessels and adhere to the five-knot rule around any swimmers or divers in the water.
Boats should remain at least 200m from shore where possible.
“Even the best boaties and the most experienced boaties will, from time to time, have some issues when they are out at sea,” Turfrey said.
If an emergency arises, call for help either via channel 64 on a radio or by calling 111.
What dangers are there in the river?
The awa has its own set of dangers.
It is not patrolled by lifeguards and can have strong currents and hidden debris, especially after heavy rain.
As freshwater, it is harder for swimmers to float in compared to the ocean because of its lower salinity, increasing the dangers of currents.
“The Whanganui River has the unenviable record of being the second highest, in terms of drowning fatalities [in New Zealand], behind the Waikato River,” Collins said.
Forty-one people have drowned in the river since Water Safety New Zealand began taking records in 1980.
Low rain levels may pose similar risks, causing some areas to be shallower than usual, or expose new hazards.
Collins said swimmers should always assess for debris or any changes to the water body every time and test the current strength regardless of how calm the water may appear at the surface.
“[It] sounds over the top to say it’s a risk assessment, but essentially that’s what it is,” Collins said.
“Rivers change every day... stop and check them before you get in.”
Swimmers should identify safe entry and exit points before getting in the water, and never dive in blindly.
How do I stay safe in other freshwater places?
In the Whanganui region, other popular freshwater swimming spots such as Lake Wiritoa share some similar risks to the awa as well as their own dangers.
Lakes, or other freshwater locations, are subject to new debris shifting or becoming more exposed under the surface after changes to water levels.
Swimmers should always check first and never dive in, regardless of how many times they have visited that spot before, Collins said.
“You can go back to some place that you’ve been going to for 30 years and strong winds, strong rainfall, all these sorts of things can change the environment.”
Horizons Regional Council is carrying out water quality testing over the summer for E. coli levels in freshwater and enterococci levels at coastal sites. If signage is posted saying levels are high, it is best to swim elsewhere as both can cause illness in humans.
In swimming pools, there are fewer variables such as weather, which may affect safety, but swimmers should still be mindful, especially with small children.
Drownings can happen in any body of water, Collins said.
Swimmers should adhere to basic pool safety tips, such as not running on wet surfaces near a pool, never diving into the shallow end of a pool, listening to lifeguards and always watching over small children.
Collins said it was important for parents to make sure their children learn how to swim or, at a minimum, learn basic water safety skills such as how to float.
What to do if there is an emergency?
When an emergency happens at any body of water, it is important to remain calm, assess the situation and call for help.
For emergencies at a beach with lifeguards present, Bedwell said to first alert the lifeguards if they have not already noticed the situation and do not attempt to save someone unless you are experienced.
For emergencies when lifeguards are not present, call 111 and they will alert emergency services – including the Coastguard or Search and Rescue.
“Far too many New Zealanders every year… get caught in trouble by trying to help somebody else,” Collins said.
Someone untrained in lifesaving will likely become distressed and this often leads to additional fatalities.
Meanwhile, someone who is drowning can also be a threat to the person trying to save them.
“If someone’s panicked, if they’re struggling in the water, they tend to grab on to the nearest floating thing,” Bedwell said.
“If you put yourself in that position, they can start pulling you under the water as well.”
Lifeguards and other rescue service members are trained in how to deal with this and will have the necessary equipment, such as a flotation device, to put between themselves and the drowning victim.
What if someone is stuck in a current?
From river currents to tidal currents, the most important steps to survival are staying calm, not fighting the current and calling for help.
If someone becomes stuck in a river current, others present can help from land by telling the person to stay calm and float on their back, and calling 111.
You can try to throw them something to float with, even a chilly bin, Collins said.
In river currents, the strength is likely to dissipate eventually and that person can exit the water further downstream.
The survival position when stuck in river currents is to float on your back with your toes touching the surface and pointing downstream, your arms by your side, so you can scull, and with your hips slightly tilted to one side.
This prevents your feet from becoming stuck in debris or rocks and protects your tailbone.
“Human instinct is to try to fight the water… it’s actually the worst thing you can do,” Collins said.
“By floating and just going with the flow, you’re far more likely to survive than fighting.”
For more information on how to stay safe in the water this summer, visit the Water Safety New Zealand, Surf Life Saving or New Zealand Coastguard websites.