One of the new signs pictured close to the Spirit of Napier statue on Marine Parade. Photo / Paul Taylor
One of the new signs pictured close to the Spirit of Napier statue on Marine Parade. Photo / Paul Taylor
A dozen new signs have been erected along Napier's foreshore warning people of the dangers of swimming off Marine Parade following the latest fatality in the area.
It comes just weeks after a 5-year-old boy drowned in Napier South on December 10 near the National Aquarium of New Zealand.
Thedrowning sparked a public outcry for better signage around the beach.
As a result, Napier City Council announced additional signage and more public rescue equipment would be introduced.
Twelve large signs have now been erected warning people "no swimming" and "stay away from water's edge" in areas that have no lifeguard patrols along Marine Parade.
The warning signs were put up following a public outcry. Photo / Paul Taylor
The signs will be permanent and council does not have plans to erect any further signage at this stage.
Just this week, Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Daniel Gerrard urged beach goers to be more cautious, following 12 drownings around the country in December alone.
"We had really low drowning rates over lockdowns and now it seems like we're trying to make up for that, unfortunately," he said, talking to RNZ.
Gerrard urged people to follow the old rule "if in doubt, stay out".
The beach at Marine Parade can be dangerous on a rough day. Photo / Warren Buckland
Meanwhile, Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club in Napier lost thousands of dollars worth of equipment in a burglary earlier this month, but with the public's generosity some of it has now been replaced, says club chairman Harry Machiela.
"We are incredibly appreciative of the public's generosity in helping us replace the equipment," he said.
"It's great to see something positive come out of something negative."
The Marine Parade club lost thousands of dollars of lifesaving gear and radios in the burglary, which was discovered on the morning of December 16 just days before the start of its seven-day-a-week summer patrols.
Among the items stolen in the burglary discovered by bike shop proprietor Eddie Kattenberg as he arrived for work were two fast-response life packs and an oxygen bottle - vital equipment for use at the water's edge in the most serious of rescues.
Also taken were five radios, and a new e-bike used for occasional patrolling the length of the city beachfront from Ahuriri to Te Awa.
The bike would have also been used to help in counts of numbers of people swimming at the beach to inform the coastal safety strategy being implemented, not only in the area but throughout New Zealand.
Machiela told Hawke's Bay Today on Friday that the club received two donations worth $1000, a ninebot scooter which has gone straight into service for patrols, two VHF radios and an additional $200 from a member of the public.
He estimated the rest of the property known to have been taken would cost $4000 to $6000 to replace, and it couldn't all be replaced in a hurry.
Pacific Surf Life Saving Club chairman Harry Machiela with two "dead" radios similar to those stolen from the Marine Parade beachfront clubhouse. Photo / Warren Buckland.
The club is still missing the five marine VHF radios (Uniden and Digitech), Segway Ninebot ES4 E-scooter and two fast-response life-packs that were stolen in a midweek burglary at its Marine Parade clubhouse.
Machiela said there was damage done to the inside of the building as well, including a door "ruined".
"We will have an insurance excess of at least $2500."
He said the club was using borrowed gear from Westshore for now, but still needed equipment like oxygen gear and first-aid bags.
There had been little to no problems of a burglary or vandalism nature around the clubhouse for years which he said highlighted the public respect for the service the club provided, he previously said.
But the burglars appeared to have come prepared with the tools needed to break in to the building, which is on the beachfront near the port end of the parade.
A coastal public safety assessment is also being undertaken by Surf Life Saving NZ and is due before Napier City Council in April 2022.
