It was a relatively quiet start to the patrol season across the motu this Labour Weekend, with 11 rescues taking place at beaches in the northern region and eastern regions from Saturday 25 to Monday 27 October. No major first aid responses were required.

Surf Life Saving clubs themselves were far from quiet, however, with lifeguard inductions, training and refreshers, and club open days keeping teams busy and ensuring preparedness for a safe summer.

Surf lifeguards collectively worked 4,250 hours over the three-day weekend, performing over 200 preventative actions that kept nearly 4,000 people safe across 27 patrolled beaches. The most visited beach was Hot Water Beach, with 795 people on the beach at its peak.

Labour weekend’s main actions included:

• Multiple rapid responses at the northern region beaches, including a capsized dinghy near Waipū Cove, two people assisted from Lion Rock at Piha, and a wing foiler rescued at Raglan. And off-duty Mairangi Bay guards assisted a wing foiler drifting out to sea, while Bethells Beach marked a milestone patrolling for the first time with five advanced lifeguards. 
• Eastern region patrols assisted several people and carried out many preventative actions as beach attendance grew through the long weekend. 
• Central region SAR (search and rescue) squads responded to a vessel breakdown near Cape Kidnappers, with lifeguards launching IRBs (inflatable rescue boats) to assist where Coastguard could not reach.
• No beaches were patrolled in the South Island; patrols start in Otago on Saturday 1 November.

Steve Fisher, CEO of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, says; “The start of the patrol season has highlighted the dedication and readiness of our lifeguards. They’ve responded quickly when needed and their visibility on New Zealand’s beaches is crucial for keeping beach-goers safe, especially as the weather starts to improve this summer.”

Aggregated patrol statistics: Saturday 25 – Monday 27 October 2025

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