Mount Maunganui and Papamoa beaches packed but no major water rescues

It was another busy day at Mount Main Beach yesterday. Photo / Andrew Warner

The beaches of Mount Maunganui and Papamoa have been packed this week and, with sunny conditions and warm temperatures ahead, long days on the sand and in the sea look set to continue.

MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend yesterday that southwesterly winds were setting up which suggested favourable conditions for the region next week.

The temperatures for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were forecast to be in the mid-to-late 20s and Bay of Plenty was looking like it would be one of the warmer places in the country.

"Because it's summer, the sea breezes like to kick up, so they'll battle against those southwesterlies which will actually help to reduce the wind."

Jamie Troughton from the regional lifeguard service, based at Mount Maunganui this week, said a decent storm swell and king tides on Monday and Tuesday meant there were a lot of preventative actions taken, with lifeguards guiding people away from rips and towards the flagged areas.

He said conditions settled on Boxing Day and the rest of the week had been less intense, with the swell dropping right down.

There was one rescue on Boxing Day near Rabbit Island, after a mother called about her son being overdue swimming.

Lifeguards found him, pulled him into the Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB), and he didn't need any further attention, Troughton said.

He said the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service had also assisted with several first aid incidents this week, including helping transport a person with a dislocated knee off Mauao.

Troughton said while the forecast was for more fine weather, there looked to be a swell brewing later next week.

He encouraged swimmers to head to the Leisure Island end of Mount Main Beach, where there will be big flagged areas and at least two lifeguards on the flags at all time.

He also warned people about swimming with inflatable devices, especially in windy conditions.

"We've seen all manner of stuff, from blow-up beds to those giant unicorns - you name it," Troughton said.

"If a breeze comes they can often be taken out to sea, so people have got to be extra vigilant about that. And if it looks like it's breezy, probably just don't bring it down to the beach."

Head guard at Omanu Surf Life Saving Club Gabriel Brockelsby said it had been a good week, and he had no rescues to report.

He said it was "super busy" on Boxing Day and December 27.

"Probably the busiest I've seen it in a while ... I'd say New Year's Day is going to be another packed day at the beach."

Shaun Smith, head guard at Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club, said it had been a pretty quiet week for his team too regarding water incidents.

He said that after a wet and stormy start, conditions had got better and better.

"It's just the wind that's annoying, but it's mostly been an onshore wind, so it blows people back, doesn't blow people out."

There had only been a few soft assists this week, no major rescues, Smith said.