Pair lucky to escape surf alive

Two got into difficulty at Waimarama Beach.

Two people were lucky to make it out of "solid" waves at Waimarama Beach on Saturday.

Swimmers came to the aid of a teenager and a 51-year-old man who got into difficulty in the strong swells.

The older man was pulled out just before he drowned, Waimarama patrol captain James Laver said.

Mr Laver was working alone on an IRB motor at 10.30am when he was alerted to the trouble.

The other patrols were not due to start until noon and other lifeguards were on a training run.

A couple of young girls ran up to Mr Laver and said someone had fainted on the beach.

A 13-year-old boy had been pulled out of the water and collapsed.

"He was in a bad way but as I went to him there was a man being pulled out - he was in a bad way as well."

The boy was at the beach with a church group. He was riding a boogie board without fins when he was hit by a big wave. He panicked a bit, taking on water, Mr Laver said.

The older guy had gone out to tell everyone to come back in.

"He wasn't a very strong swimmer and we have a difficult sea at the moment," Mr Laver said.

"He wasn't caught in a rip or anything but the waves are very solid. He got smashed by a couple of waves and was out of his depth."

Mr Laver gave both patients oxygen and called for the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service because he was concerned about the older man.

He was flown to hospital while the teenager was taken by road. Both were discharged later that day.

It was high tide when the pair got into difficulty.

Club chairman Kim Nilsson said, as the tide receded, lifeguards were deployed along a channel running parallel to the beach.

The channel was experiencing a southerly flow during heavier-than-normal waves of about 1.5m.

"You throw them a tube and put them back on to firm footing," he said.

Lifeguards were kept busy.

"There was a young boy who put his hand up but one of our lifeguards was straight on to it," he said.

Several similar assists were made yesterday.

"When you know where the actual moving water is, you put your personnel and resources close to it. If anyone slips into that space they are quite obvious because they are by themselves and you know where they are going."