Water Safety

Too many people drown in New Zealand beaches every year. Enjoy the water, but I posted this because I think drowning in the water, is preventable if you take care. To me, drowning is totally unnecessary and if you learn to be safe by the water, you will stay safe.

What prompted me for this post? Seeing a drowned man on a beach. I never want to see that happen to anyone again.

First a good idea, learn how to swim. It helps. Go to a public pool or find a local swimming teacher near you.

Here is a scene at Piha, what is going on in this photo? 2 men with surf boards thought that they can surf here. Yes, they can – at their own risk.

How many time have Piha Surf life savers tried to warn people when they were in perilous places on the beach? Countless times. Why do I not say anything? Because I know that these people probably abuse me for telling them, they are lucky a freak wave hasn’t crushed their skulls on the rocks!

The waves are as large as a roof top on a house, it weighs several tons and 2 men are risking their lives swimming here.

Time and time again Life Savers have been abused for warning people about their safety. Even when a man is rescued by a Life Guard, it doesn’t do their pride any good to realise they are not superman after all!

Learn this lesson well before you go on any beach, never swim or surf near the rocks!

When you go in a pleasure boat or a smaller boat to go fishing, you may feel safe if you can’t swim because you are in a boat. Think again! Wear a life jacket. An accident may occur where you will need a life jacket to keep you safe.

Here you have a fishing boat by Old Mangere Bridge, and one of them is wearing a life jacket, they should be both wearing one!

Now speaking about Mangere Bridge, there was once a boat with some people from the Pacific Islands going out into the Manukau harbour and the father of the family stood up in the boat. The boat went upside down, and no one was wearing life jackets. Some people saw them and dived off the bridge to save them because the occupants of the boat could not swim. The father died they saved some of the family at the risk of their own lives, and one child died.

Two lessons here, Wear a life jacket in a boat, and don’t stand up in a small boat. Not only will you rock the boat, but none of you may survive to talk about it later!

Tides and Times wait for no man! In a Harbour like the Manukau Harbour, when the tide is out, it often looks like a sink with the plug pulled out! Now if you are walking in any harbour of the world and looking for shell fish or any shells, even if you go out by boat. Check the tides and watch the water.

In the Manukau Harbour, the Head of the harbour is very narrow and the water runs at least 60 miles an hour, and the water runs in seconds, don’t be caught by the tide. Looks can be deceptive, The Manukau is one of the most dangerous harbours in the world.

Check the tides and when you go into the harbour, make sure you have a ready exit!

Supervise Children, here is a mother with 2 children at Muriwai beach. Watch them like a Hawk. They depend on you. Have a plan to keep all your family safe and know where everyone is.

Don’t go in the water near caves with water going through, they are very dangerous. This is a cave with very deep water going in and out at Muriwai beach on Auckland’s west coast.

Here are some people fishing off the rocks at Muriwai beach. To stay safe, best not to go alone. Tell some one where you are going. Don’t go close to where waves are crashing on the rocks, where proper foot wear, don’t walk on anything green, as it’s slippery.

Enter the water feet first every time. Never dive into waters that you don’t know. You don’t know what is in the water.

Never enter water after drinking alcohol.  You need all your wits about you.

Check Weather conditions before going out in the boat.

Not a good idea on this day to go on a cruise ship in a harbour on the west coast, but this kite surfing picked his moment in Orewa beach on a day that the wind was so strong I could barely stand. However, these people were very experienced and knew exactly what they were doing this day.

Kite sailing is dangerous, you can be going along fine, the wind drops and the rope is slack goes around your neck and the wind blows again and you are strangled. Not nice.

If you want to learn the water sports, go to some one who can teach you properly.

Should you lose your inflatable boat while out in your boat, don’t jump in the water to swim after it and get drowned in the process. the inflatable boat is not worth your life.

Lastly, in a surf beach, always swim between the flags, there are life guards who watch over this patch to ensure all the swimmers are safe.

What have we learned here?

Learn to Swim

Never swim or surf near rocks

Wear a life jacket

Never stand up in a small boat

Watch the tides

Have an escape from danger plan first.

Always supervise children in the water

Don’t go into caves with water going in and out.

When fishing off rocks, never go alone, tell someone where you are going, don’t walk on anything green on rocks. Wear proper foot wear.

Enter the water feet first every time.

Don’t go swimming after drinking alchohol

Check the weather conditions before going out in a boat, if you want to learn a water sport, learn from a proper teacher first.

Don’t swim after lost property at sea

Always swim between the flags in a surf beach and never swim alone.