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Teens on a school camp “risked their safety” to save a drowning tourist in Whangamatā, their principal says.
The Pāpāmoa College level 1 outdoor education students were kayaking between Whenuakura Island (Donut Island) and Hauturu Island (Clark Island) during a camp on a sunny but windy day last Wednesday.
Deputy principal and outdoor education teacher Jane Townsend said she saw two people in a double kayak holding on to an empty, single kayak.
She saw the man who was meant to be in that kayak about 20m away in the choppy water, getting separated further by the current.
She called out to Sam Clark and Ryan Teixeira, both 15 and both competent Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club members, who were in a double kayak, to go and help.
Townsend, a lifeguard with more than 10 years of experience, said the safety of the school group was the top priority and she would not have asked the teens to help with the rescue unless she knew they were competent and capable.
Ryan Teixeira, left, and Sam Clark saved a kayaker from drowning while on camp. Photo / Supplied
Townsend then called out to Hannah Edwards, 15, who is also a lifeguard, getting her to lead the rest of the class to the island so the rescue could be carried out.
Townsend went straight to the group to grab the single kayak, and towed the two others back to shore.
“We just see a guy floating in the water,” Teixeira said.
The pair went towards the man, who was being pushed around a bit by the wind. Teacher Luke McFarlane was behind the boys and rafted up with their kayak.
“He wasn’t talking, wasn’t moving ... he was just bobbing up and down, his head was barely over the surface.
“He was fully out of energy when we got there.”
Teixeira said the man couldn’t pull himself into the boys’ kayak, so he jumped into the water while Clark was half-in the water, holding the man up and getting him on to the kayak, which nearly flipped.
He said the man was wearing baggy clothes and his lifejacket was unzipped.
Clark paddled the man back to shore.
The pair assessed him to ensure he was calm and not in shock.
He said the pair were “over the moon” that they managed to get the man to safety by themselves. He said the skills learnt at the club were invaluable and recommended people gave it a go.
Clark said he was nervous as it was his first rescue, but the nerves quickly went away as his training kicked in.
Pāpāmoa College student and lifeguard Hannah Edwards, 15. Photo / Supplied
Clark has done surf life-saving for two and a half years, and Teixeira has done it since he was 4.
Townsend said lifeguarding gave “great skills for life” and all three students helped massively; they stayed calm, reassured people, and had the strength and fitness.
“The outcome could’ve been a lot worse for that man,” she said.
“He could have very well drowned.”
She said everyone was “very proud” of the teens, including Edwards, who kept the rest of the students safe while the rescue was carried out.
Pāpāmoa College principal Iva Ropati said he was “incredibly proud” of the boys “for the courage” they showed.
“They risked their own safety to help someone else.
“It could’ve all turned really bad, but thankfully it didn’t.”
Ropati said the benefits of surf life-saving came into play on the day.
Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club director of lifeguarding Matthew Davoren said the club was “very proud of these young folk”.
“It’s great to see them using the skills they have learnt through becoming a lifeguard and through our Surf Sports programmes,” he said.
“We love to hear stories like this of our young lifeguards having the confidence to jump in and help people in trouble – to step up when it really counts.”
