Busy day at changing beach for surf patrol

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

NEAR-flat conditions at Waikanae Beach yesterday reared up in the afternoon into big surf, combined with strong currents, and resulted in four rescues between Waikanae Beach and Roberts Road.

As the tide went out and the surf grew in size, several rips developed up and down the beach. Two rescues took place at The Cut. A swimmer had made it to the river wall but when he tried to swim back he got into difficulty, said Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club’s patrol captain Kim Thompson.

“He was struggling against the current. He seemed to be swimming OK but was making no progress.”

Ms Thompson swam out with a rescue tube and assisted the swimmer to shore.

Because several people were swimming in the Turanganui River near the river mouth, Ms Thompson posted a lifeguard there with a rescue board.

“Part of the patrol operation is to have a roving patrol by The Cut when it is busy and conditions are dangerous,” she said.

At about 6pm, another swimmer who had made it to rocks at the end of the river wall could not get back to shore.

“The lifeguard paddled over and asked if he needed a hand and brought him back on his board.”

Lifeguards had earlier warned a group of swimmers at The Cut that the current was flowing out to sea fast.

Know your limitsMs Thompson reinforced the message to all beach users to know their limits, understand the conditions and to swim between the flags.

Patrol members also kept an eye on the Roberts Road area of the beach where a strong rip was running. At about 4.20pm, a stand-up paddleboard rider who lost his board was swimming in to retrieve it when he was caught by the current.

“I started running down but by the time I got there a second person was trying to return the board to the surfer,” Ms Thompson said.

The swimmer managed to get the board back to the surfer, who paddled out of the rip but the swimmer got caught in the fast-moving water. A lifeguard with a rescue board and Ms Thompson helped him back to shore.

The fourth rescue occurred when a girl who was bodyboarding between the flags got out of her depth. A lifeguard swam out and helped her back to land.

The Waikanae patrol also embarked on a search when lifeguards were told by a beachgoer a friend was missing. The friend had left his clothes on the beach and had not returned home.

“We went on a search but 20 minutes later his flatmate came back and said he was OK,” she said.

“He had gone home but had left his jandals and shirt on the beach.”