The search for 5-year-old Jack Dixon will continue this week, with police divers due to search the area again while surf lifeguards continue to scour the sea each morning and afternoon.
The Mount Maunganui community watched on solemnly but hopeful during the weekend as searchers took to the water for days four and five of the search for the missing youngster.
Jack has been missing since he was swept out to sea by a freak wave at about mid-day, Wednesday.
The search started at daybreak on Saturday in icy cold conditions with four-wheel-drives covering the shoreline from Mount Maunganui and along the coast. More than 25 of the volunteers returned to the sea and land search mid-morning leading into the 9.27am low tide.
A local jet ski owner pitched in, scouring the coastline of Matakana Island while IRBS and swimmers circled the Mauao base track, leisure island and rabbit island.