Tauranga lifeguards rescued eight swimmers caught in rips at Tay St and Omanu beaches yesterday and assisted a dozen more caught in strong currents, all of whom were not swimming between the flags.

A frustrated Chaz Gibbons-Campbell, the regional lifesaving manager for the Eastern Region of Surf Lifesaving NZ, told the Bay of Plenty Times lifeguards at the Tay St end of Mount Maunganui beach and Ōmanu beach carried out eight rescues of swimmers caught in rips.

Lifeguards also assisted another 12 swimmers who were caught in strong currents, he said.

Gibbons-Campbell said quite of few of the swimmers rescued and assisted were young children.

Among those rescued at Ōmanu yesterday was a teenager, who was given some oxygen once back on shore for about 10 minutes and advised to get a check-up with their doctor, he said.

A couple of other swimmers came down to the beach with their dogs and didn’t bring anyone else with them to supervise their pets, he said.

 “It’s very disappointing as all of those rescued and assisted were swimming outside of our flagged areas. There are rips at almost every access-way along the Mount Maunganui, Ōmanu, and Pāpāmoa coastline and the strong currents are catching quite a few people off guard,” he said.

“Currently, there were 20 to 30 volunteer lifeguards on duty patrolling between Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa beaches, who are giving up their Christmas holiday and the chance to spend special time with their families on Christmas Day to do this.

He said some people were even ignoring the posted rip warning signs and entering the water anyway.

“Most are only going in up to their thighs or waist deep but when the tide starts turning and going out again, they are getting caught in a rip and the strong undertow, and get dragged out to sea quite fast. Lots of people get caught out this way, especially if they’re not strong swimmers.

“The surf is only about 1m high at moment, but there are big troughs gouged out of the beach under the surf that runs parallel to the beach. Essentially, they are quite deep and maybe 50 to 60m long, but they feed into a rip current that ends up dragging people into deeper water and out to sea.”

Chaz Gibbons-Campbell, Surf Lifesaving New Zealand's Eastern Region regional lifesaving manager. Photo / NZME

“If anyone does get caught in a rip, remember the three Rs- Relax, Ride the tide and Raise your hand.”

Gibbons-Campbell said lifeguards regularly carried out roaming patrols of the coastline keeping an eye out for people getting into difficulties, but if people chose to swim outside the flagged areas, especially alone, they may not be seen in time.

“It’s just not worth the risk. I urge everyone to do the right thing and to spare a thought for our lifeguards, many of whom are volunteers giving up their precious family time to try and keep beachgoers safe.”

Gibbons-Campbell said one of those rescued at Tay St beach, today turned up with a gift to say thank you.

He said 22 council-funded lifeguards would be on duty from Boxing Day, and typically they would be on patrol from 10am to 6pm daily.

“Anyone swimming at our beaches outside those hours is doing so at their own risk.”

Gibbons-Campbell said he urged beachgoers to never swim alone, always swim between the flags, heed lifeguards’ advice and before heading to the beach check the conditions on safeswim.org.nz