Stay safe in and on the water this summer

The five drownings in the Manukau in one week during October were tragic but largely preventable. There’s plenty we can do to help ourselves and others to play safe in the surf these holidays.

At the beach

Auckland’s West Coast beaches are going to be more crowded than we’ve ever seen them, with fewer rescue crews. Volunteer lifeguards are attracted to the role by the camaraderie but with social distancing, many are choosing to stay home, exacerbating already restrictive Covid rules. The Surf Life Saving Northern Region is appealing to Fringe readers to support those lifeguards who are on duty and help people to be responsible for their own safety.

“We really need to work together,” says chief executive Matt Williams. “Speak up if you see someone doing something dangerous, use your local knowledge to educate people in a friendly way and have a chat with the lifeguards if something’s different. There may be reasons for it during Covid.”

Men top the list in the drowning statistics. If you see someone fishing off the rocks where it’s notoriously wet and slippery, and they’re not wearing a life jacket, approach them. If someone’s in trouble in the water and you can’t locate a lifeguard, dial 111 and ask for Police. Model good behaviour and stay within arm’s reach of your kids in the surf.

Before leaving home, check safeswim.org.nz for conditions at your local beach, and whether it’s being patrolled. Use the QR code tracer located outside the surf club or at the reserve.

Boating on the Manukau

Even some of the most experienced of boaties have been getting into trouble lately, says Coastguard head of operations Rob McCaw. Coastguard is also limited in rescue operations by the number of volunteers it can muster. On peak days, well in excess of 200 boats are crossing the treacherous Manukau Bar, and Rob says they are unable to respond to widespread calls for a patrol boat to be stationed at the harbour entrance all day.

“Regrettably it’s simply not feasible for our entirely volunteer crews to be ‘on station’ at all times for such a large body of water.”

The onus is on everyone to wear a life jacket and report their trip by downloading the free Coastguard app. The bottom line is, when in doubt don’t go out.

When crossing the bar, log a Bar Crossing Report by calling *500 on your mobile or contacting Coastguard radio from your VHF radio. This puts you on a search and rescue watch. Keep to daylight hours, cross at high tide, check the swell, tide and wind conditions and ensure you have two forms of communication that work even when wet.

For sea kayakers, complete the sea kayak course online from the Coastguard’s Boaties Best Mate website (www.boatiesbestmate.nz).

– Jade Reidy

Lifesavers in action at North Piha beach.