Snorkelling death leads to calls for lifeguards

Goat Island. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The second death in two years at a popular north Auckland marine reserve has prompted calls for lifeguard patrols and enforcing diving rules.

A 57-year-old Auckland man was pulled from choppy waters off Goat Island Marine Reserve on Saturday afternoon after being found floating face down.

Attempts to revive him failed after he became separated from his group while snorkelling at 12.35pm.

Leigh Volunteer Fire Brigade officer Tony Enderby said he did not know whether the man had drowned but there was no sign of life when he was found.

He said the brigade's first response unit was ferried 100m from the mainland to Goat Island by a tourism operator's glass-bottom boat.

Earlier, operator Ivan Blackwell had taken across a group of American visitors who had oxygen equipment and who helped perform CPR.

"The message is not being pushed enough - people must wear a wetsuit for its flotation and they should have a buddy - someone looking after them," said Mr Enderby.

He is also the Department of Conservation ranger and estimated the reserve was visited by up to 5000 people a day, many of them trying snorkelling for the first time.

The reserve does not have a lifeguard because authorities deem it as neither a surf beach nor a public swimming pool.

"Ivan does most of the rescues here ... he has dragged more people out of the water than we know about."

Mr Blackwell, who has operated the vessel for 13 years, said he sailed over to help when he saw people performing CPR on the man on a little platform of rocks on the island.

"If you had this many people going to Muriwai or Langs Beach you'd have a lifeguard and a lot of people come here expecting it.

"There have been cases where we have got them out of the water in time ... but there are going to be more.

"Especially if the sea is choppy. You get a couple of mouthfuls of water down your snorkel and if no one is watching and doesn't see you coughing and spluttering, it's going to be too late.

"Some people when going out snorkelling are not looking out for anybody else ... they are looking for fish.

"A month ago, we did get a chap with water in his lung out in time.

"People have got to know their limits or they will get into trouble. The 120m swim across the channel to Goat Island could turn into 150m if there is an oncoming swell and a bit of tidal current."

Scott Pennington of Beach Hire Goat Island said it cost $15 to hire a wetsuit. "We know a third of the 350,000 people a year who come here say they can snorkel and they cannot."

The last snorkelling death in the reserve was on Christmas Day 2008.

Water Safety New Zealand general manager Matt Claridge is expecting a police report on the death.

Rodney's representative on Auckland Council, Penny Webster, said lifeguard coverage could be considered.

"It attracts a lot of people who don't know their way around water."

However, Omaha Surf Life Saving Club president John Williams said extending coverage to Goat Island was unlikely because it was not a dangerous surf beach and the club lacked patrol resources.