Hawke's Bay sailing club coach caught surfing during lockdown

A Tangoio local caught a Napier Sailing Club member surfing during lockdown. Photo / Supplied

A "seasonal coach" for a Hawke's Bay sailing club who went surfing during the Covid-19 lockdown has been told to stay in his bubble.

A health notice was issued on Saturday stating surfing, boating, swimming and fishing were not permitted while New Zealand was on Alert Level 4.

The public had previously been advised not to take part in these activities during the Covid-19 lockdown, but the ban was made official by the Ministry of Health.

A Tangoio Beach landowner, who declined to be named, spotted the Napier Sailing Club coach surfing.

"My family and I were down at the beach, which we access through our property, when we saw a surfer," he said.

"I reminded him there was a lockdown and surfing is not a permitted activity and 'so what' was his reply."

Napier Sailing Club said the person defying the lockdown guidelines is not currently an employee of the club. Photo / Supplied

A Napier Sailing Club spokesman said the surfer was a seasonal coach, who although using a club-sponsored vehicle, was not currently employed by the club.

The club did not condone its staff or members breaking the lockdown restrictions.

"We are just as annoyed that our seasonal coach has decide to flout the rules as the rest of you," he said.

"We were informed of his activities on April 6 and we acted swiftly to speak with him to make him aware of the Covid-19 update on 4 April clarifying what fitness activities are and are not acceptable during the lockdown period.

"We do not envisage there being a repeat offence and please be assured that the club is continuing to convey the lockdown message to its members to ensure they stay safely within their bubble and do not break other people's bubbles."

The spokesman also said the person "flouting the lockdown" was trying to organise travel home.

The landowner who spotted the coach and his vehicle said they're not the only people defying the lockdown rules.

"When I went around to get their number plate, I saw about six other cars there too," he said. "And there was another guy setting up to go surfing too.

"It is this type of selfishness that makes me extremely angry.

"There is public access to the beach, but this is not a land ownership issue. There is a lockdown in place, which means no non-essential travel, no driving to the beach and no surfing."

While police said they were not made aware of this specific incident, they said they are continuing to ask the public not to go surfing, swimming or to do things that may require help if they end up getting into trouble.

A police spokeswoman said: "Police are focused on ensuring people are complying with the government's Alert Level 4 restrictions, because we are all in this together.

"While you can leave your home to exercise you need to keep it local. In short if it's on your doorstep or close to home it's fine, but if you have to drive or cycle any real distance it's not."

"Police can't repeat it enough – stay at home, save lives – the message is simple."