Off-duty lifeguards make seven rescues in an hour at Mount Maunganui

Crowds of holidaymakers on Mt Maunganui beach. Photo/Alan Gibson.

Mount Maunganui lifeguards were kept busy at the weekend making seven rescues in just over an hour.

Off-duty lifeguards carried out the rescues at Mount Main Beach between 4pm and 5.15pm on Friday.

Mount Maunganui Surf Club general manager Glenn Bradley said sea conditions were "deceptively more powerful" than they looked.

"There was a lot of water moving around and the swell is originating in the tropics which can pack a punch," Bradley said.

He said it was unusual to have a cluster of incidents at this time of year, however, the medium to large swell had enough power to create rips and holes.

"We had a pretty hot, humid, sticky start to the week and there were a lot of people on the beach on Friday.

"They may have been a little too keen and have not assessed the conditions properly," Bradley said.

Volunteer lifeguard patrols were still operating on Saturdays from 11am to 4pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm.

In Maketu, two Papamoa residents were rescued from the Kaituna River bar on Saturday after large waves swamped their boat.

Maketu Coastguard secretary and treasurer Geoff Oliver said the two people had gone out fishing early yesterday morning when they ran into trouble.

Four crew members from the Maketu Coastguard, onboard the Eastpack Rescue vessel, were involved in the rescue that took place about 6.45am, he said.

"They [the boaties] got the timing a bit wrong as they crossed the bar and their boat was up vertical as the waves came in the back.

By the third wave there was a lot of water in the boat," he said.

"We got to them in the water exactly 15mins after receiving the 111 call from the police.

"They were very pleased to see us," Oliver said.