Safe swimming in our district this summer
Published on 08 December 2022
With the summer holidays approaching, Whanganui District Council is reminding the community to stay safe in the water this summer and running a ‘safe swim’ video competition for school students.
The council’s community wellbeing manager, Lauren Tamehana, says each year the council works with New Zealand Police Nga Pirihimana O Aotearoa to provide Whanganui schools with water safety messages to share with pupils and whānau before the summer holidays start.
“This year we’re running a video competition for tamariki and rangatahi as well.”
“We’d like to emphasise how important it is to understand the risks and make careful decisions when swimming or engaging in water activities,” Lauren Tamehana says.
“Swim spots can change from one day to the next so it’s important to assess an area each time you visit. Make sure you look for hidden logs and debris when diving and swimming and also check the water’s depth, as water levels can change dramatically.”
Lauren Tamehana says it’s vital children are actively supervised by an adult around water.
“For children under five years old and learners, active supervision means keeping them within arm’s reach. Other children need to be kept within sight at all times.
“Having a supervision roster can help, so everyone’s clear on who’s supervising. This is important whether you’re out and about in the district or swimming in a home pool.”
Castlecliff wharf
Swimming at the Castlecliff wharf area is prohibited as it can be very dangerous. Public access is not allowed in the area.
Safety around vessels
Swimming around vessels – often situated at the Town Wharf and Taupo Quay – is not advised.
“When boats are launched there’s a particularly high risk of serious injury because boats can’t stop suddenly and swimmers risk being caught in the boat’s wash and struck by the propeller,” Lauren Tamehana says.
“Another time when it’s really dangerous is when boats are turning around and tying up. The best approach for swimmers is to keep clear of boats altogether.”
Using rowing pontoons
Most rowing clubs are okay with swimmers using their pontoons so long as they respect rowers getting boats in and out of the water.
“Just be aware that rowers need people to give them a wide berth when they’re carrying a boat so they don’t drop it and cause an injury.”
City Bridge
The council does not encourage jumping off the City Bridge into the awa. If people are going to do this they need to check the water for logs and debris as well as other river users.
Beaches
The two Whanganui beaches patrolled by surf lifeguards are Castlecliff Beach and Kai Iwi Beach. Lifeguards are on site from 12 noon to 6.00pm each day over summer.
“Make sure you swim between the flags,” Lauren Tamehana says. “At times the lifeguards will move the flags because the rips have moved with the change of tide. Follow their lead and feel free to talk to them if you’re unsure.”
Swimmers should avoid swimming in or near rips – common on Whanganui coastlines – which can quickly carry people away from shore. A rip can be identified by:
- discoloured or murky brown water caused by stirred up sand
- a smoother surface, with waves breaking either side
- debris floating out to sea
- a rippled look, when the water around is generally calm.
“Lifeguards are there to keep people safe, but make sure you’re supervising your tamariki as well.”
Lauren Tamehana says Whanganui District Council wishes everyone a safe summer, enjoying all our district has to offer.
“Have fun cooling off in the water with family and friends this summer and as you do keep water safety top of mind, checking for hazards and making sure tamariki are well-supervised.”
Video competition details
Whanganui school students – make a video about safe swimming in Whanganui this summer and be in to win prizes! Your video will need to include at least two of the ‘safe swim’ messages from the list below.
To enter, upload the video to your TikTok account, click ‘share to email’ and send your video to holly.hoddinott@whanganui.govt.nz by 5.00pm on Saturday, 17 December.
Don’t have a TikTok account? You can upload your video to YouTube and email us the link.
Remember to include your name and phone number in the email.
Safe swim messages
- Swimming at Castlecliff wharf is banned because it’s dangerous.
- If you’re at the beach, watch out for rips because they can carry you away from shore. How do you spot a rip? It can look like murky brown water caused by stirred-up sand, a smoother surface with waves breaking either side, debris floating out to sea, or a rippled look when the water around it is calm.
- The two Whanganui beaches patrolled by surf lifeguards are Castlecliff Beach and Kai Iwi Beach. Lifeguards are on site with flags out from 12 noon to 6.00pm over summer.
- Most rowing clubs are okay with swimmers using the pontoons as long as you keep clear of rowers getting boats in and out of the water.
- Swim spots can change from one day to the next so check the area each time you visit.
- Look for hidden logs or debris when diving and swimming and check the water’s depth because water levels can change dramatically.
- Jumping off the Town Bridge is not encouraged. If you do, check for hazards first.
- Keep clear of boats because you could be caught in a boat’s wash and struck by the propeller.
- Tamariki under five years old and learners need to be actively supervised around water – keep them within arm’s reach. Make sure other children are within your sight at all times.
- Avoid swimming for 2-3 days after heavy rain.