"The sea is always different, one day it's like a lake and you can go in and other times it's a strong current and you wouldn't ... you've got to be careful in the water always."
The holiday season has already seen:
Two Christmas Day water fatalities; a 1-year-old at her family's Manurewa home and a 25-year-old crab fisherman in Northland;
•A 47-year-old surfer died at Karioitahi Beach, 70km southwest of Auckland, on Boxing Day on a surfboard he got for Christmas;
•And yesterday a man hurt his back at Hunua Falls, and a surfer suffered a suspected neck injury at Sandy Bay near Whangarei.
Last night, as the search for the 16-year-old continued, Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Matt Claridge made a plea for holidaymakers to act responsibly around water.
That message was important for men as they were more likely to drown than women. Parents also needed to be vigilant in keeping their children safe and helping them develop good water sense, he said.
That meant swimming between the flags at patrolled beaches and learning safe places to swim at unpatrolled beaches. Rivers were notorious for drowning and swimmers should be aware of currents and hidden objects, he said.
And pools should be fenced, and temporary pools flipped over when not in use.
"It only takes two centimetres of water and less than a minute for someone to drown, and it's silent."
In another incident yesterday, the Hamilton-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter went to Kawhia after an 11-year-old girl suffered a severe allergic reaction while swimming.
The girl's parents told the chopper crew their daughter vomited and had several welts on her arms and legs. She suffered several seizures and was flown to Waikato Hospital.
Lifeguards were also kept busy at Mt Maunganui and Omanu beaches yesterday, rescuing seven people, including a father and son swept 400m out into the surf by a rip.
Meanwhile, onlookers watched in shock as a young man failed to surface after jumping off Hunua Falls. Witnesses said he was making hand signals and "showing off" as he leaped from the falls, south of Auckland.
He landed on his back and took about 10 seconds to resurface, said witness, Auckland man Martin Liupuhi. He eventually resurfaced with a bleeding nose.
The fishermen waiting to be rescued. Photo / Coastguard
Water Safety boss slams ill-prepared fishermen
The actions of a trio of fishermen plucked to safety off the Northland coast have been slammed by a water safety boss.
Police said the men were lucky to be alive after being rescued about 7.30am yesterday from a small rock off the Karikari Peninsula.
The trio - none wearing lifejackets - left Rangaunu Harbour in a 5m aluminium boat on Friday afternoon but failed to return. An intensive search began at daybreak and the men were found standing on the rock 4km off the coast.
"It sounds like these fishermen failed to follow all the basic rules," said Lindsay Sturt, deputy director of Maritime NZ. "It is not rocket science.
"It is quite simple to make sure you are wearing a lifejacket, let people know where you are going and when you will be back and take a communication device - even if it is just wrapping a cellphone in a plastic bag.
"There are plenty of water safety messages out there but sadly, some people, usually men, are ignoring them. They have an attitude of 'she'll be right' when often that is not the case at all. They overestimate their abilities while underestimating the risks."
Coastguard spokeswoman Georgie Smith said the rescue was a "credit to the volunteers and search and rescue agencies involved.
"It also highlights the importance of lifejackets. They've never ruined a day on the water."
The spate of water incidents has prompted police to issue a warning to holiday-makers to take care when hitting the water this summer.
Beach-goers in Northland were urged to be aware of the conditions before taking the plunge.
"There are a number of popular beaches in our district that are not suitable for people who are not strong swimmers or aren't able to swim," Senior Sergeant Daniel Cleaver of Whangarei Police said.
"We advise all beach-goers to carefully consider the conditions of the surf before entering the water and not to go in if you don't feel confident."
This was particularly the case at Uretiti Beach, he said, where weather events had changed the condition of the beach.
"While the surf may not look too big, there is a strong tidal undertow which can take some people by surprise if they are not confident swimmers," he said, urging crabbers to be aware that the tide may pull their crab pots out into deeper water.
"This beach is not always patrolled by Surf Lifesavers and the nearest rescue boat is stationed at Ruakaka. If you get into trouble in the surf, a rescue boat may not be able to reach you immediately."
The rescue of three fishermen off the coast of Karikari Peninsula on Saturday morning was also a timely reminder to all boaties to ensure their boats are equipped with lifejackets for every person on board and to take more than one form of communication with them on every boat trip, he said.
"Summer is a time to make great use of the beaches that we are lucky to have in this part of the country," Mr Cleaver said. "But the ocean can be a dangerous place and it is not worth risking your life for some time in the water. If you're not fully prepared, keep safe on the sand instead."
- additional reporting Patrice Dougan of NZME. News Service
