Quiet time for lifeguards

CARALISE MOORE

Bad weather has meant a quiet summer for surf lifeguards.

"When the sun has been out it's been busy, but otherwise it has been very quiet," northern region life saving and club support manager Tom Burgess says.

"Our numbers for rescues, first-aids and searches are low for this time of year."

Muriwai Beach has topped the northern list with 17 rescues, 23 first-aids and four searches.

"Searches are when a person comes to us saying they've lost someone, like a child who can't find their family.

"That's the majority of cases we deal with. But it also includes when someone has gone out in the water and others don't know where they are.

"That happened between Red Beach and Orewa where a windsurfer couldn't be found. Both lifeguard clubs helped with the search. It turned out the windsurfer had already got out of the water," Mr Burgess says.

Bethells Beach has the second highest number of incidents in the area with 13 rescues, 14 first-aids and three searches.

On the east coast, Pakiri is being patrolled by Red Beach lifeguards along with regional guards and has recorded eight rescues, five first-aids and one search.

Red Beach had seven rescues, 21 first-aids and one search.

Orewa recorded five rescues, 58 first-aids and six searches.

"That's quite a high number of first-aids," Mr Burgess says. "Orewa is a relatively popular beach with young children and those numbers include kids coming to us with shell cuts and things of a similar nature."

Wenderholm, which is being patrolled by Orewa lifeguards, had the lowest number of incidents with five first-aids and one search.

The beach was only patrolled by lifeguards on public holidays during the Christmas and New Year.

Omaha has been involved in two rescues, 20 first-aids and two searches. Lifeguards have maintained normal patrol hours despite quieter times. Mr Burgess expects lifeguards will be busier if the weather improves.

Regional lifeguards patrol at Pakiri until February 3, Bethells, Orewa and Omaha until February 24, and Muriwai Beach until March 16.

Other volunteer surf lifeguards patrol on weekends until Easter.

Mr Burgess says beach visitors should heed lifeguards' advice, especially if improving weather brings more people.

Sea lice bites have been reported at many Hibiscus Coast beaches this week.

But there could be confusion with jellyfish larvae stings. Sea lice bite outside the swimsuit area while jellyfish larvae sting within because of pressure from the swimsuit.

- © Fairfax NZ News