Rip tide warning as thousands take to the waves to cool off this weekend

Gisborne surf lifesaving patrols have the use of a jetski over the four days of the R&V festival. Pictures by Liam Clayton

Predicted top temperatures of 29 degrees today and 28 tomorrow with forecast fine weather have surf lifeguards bracing themselves for beach invasions by the thousands of young visitors to the district.

The Gisborne and Tolaga Bay surf lifesaving club volunteers will be guarding their beaches this weekend.

Traditionally, the R&V festival hordes descend on the beaches when the weather’s favourable and that’s set to be the case today and tomorrow.

Wainui tends to draw its biggest crowds of the summer each season at this time of year.

Riversun Wainui director of lifeguarding Belinda Slement said the club had patrols lined up for both days of the weekend.

“We’re definitely encouraging beach-goers at Wainui to swim between the flags because of the rip activity along the beach at present.”

That warning was clearly illustrated by the rescue of a man in a rip opposite Wainui School on Christmas Day.

“We also hope beach-goers will be sensible around alcohol consumption,” Mrs Slement said.

Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae manager Clara Wilson said the club was looking good for the weekend patrol-wise.

“We’ve got some highly qualified people on duty.”

A Dawson Building Midway club spokesman said they were also prepared for a busy weekend.

Surf Life Saving NZ has provided a jet ski rescue craft for the four days of R&V to assist the local clubs.

A lifesaving spokesman said it would be used on a roving patrol basis, wherever it’s particularly needed, depending on surf conditions and crowd sizes.

The rescue water craft (RWC), sometimes referred as a personal water craft, is specially outfitted for surf interaction.

SLSNZ said the main use of the RWC is for lifeguard support services, and to supplement club patrols where necessary.

The craft have been making an impact on North Island beaches for several summers.

In the Northern Region, for example, the craft were used in 20 rescues last summer, 59 “assists”, seven searches and 1417 preventative actions at northern beaches.

“The beauty of the RWC over an IRB (inflatable rescue boat) is that for the operators, it’s a lot easier on the body, and it carries a lot more speed,” the lifesaving spokesman said.

“The conditions we operate in can sometimes be two to three metres and to have a craft that is reliable and durable enough to deal with some of the dynamic forces coming through is massive for us.

“It’s been a game-changer.”

The craft being operated in Gisborne is a Sea-Doo brand, operated by the Eastern Region. The Yamaha brand are used by surf clubs up north.

Gisborne lifeguards, newly qualified on the Sea-Doo, will be operating the jet ski here over the New Year.