Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve saw Coastguard Whitianga kick off the day early, responding to a vessel needing a tow back to shore at 0845. Their services were in high demand, with another vessel requiring assistance just after lunch and a third call coming in at 1800 to help a launch with engine issues near Great Mercury Island. The crew worked tirelessly, returning to base around 0100 on Christmas morning.
Meanwhile, Coastguard Kaipara answered a late-night call to assist a 14-foot vessel near Mosquito Bay. The crew provided essential support, including a jump-start, dewatering, and navigation assistance. They also lent a lifejacket to the vessel’s occupants, ensuring their safe return to Shelly Beach just after midnight.
Coastguard Hawke Bay also had a busy day, dealing with multiple incidents, including two vessels with issues near Waipatiki and Pan Pac, respectively, and a solo yachtie in distress off The Cape. Exhausted from hand-steering for two days after losing his electronics, the sailor’s plight required immediate intervention. Two Coastguard members boarded his yacht to guide it to safety, ensuring his well-being and bringing him safely into Napier Marina.
Christmas Day
The festive spirit didn’t slow down the demand for Coastguard services. Coastguard Whitianga continued their lifesaving work, while Coastguard Whanganui responded to a vessel requiring a tow. In Southern Fiordland, Coastguard Riverton, in coordination with RCCNZ, executed a dramatic rescue. A pair clinging to their overturned 4-metre aluminium boat were winched to safety by a rescue helicopter, while the Coastguard retrieved the boat.
Boxing Day
On 26 December, Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard towed a boat in from offshore, ensuring another group of boaties returned safely.
Busy weekend
Sunday, 29 December, saw Coastguard Wellington come to the aid of five people stranded on Taputeranga Island. Strong northerlies had left the group unable to return to shore. The Coastguard’s strategic use of tow lines and careful navigation ensured everyone, along with their dinghy, was brought back safely.
New Year’s Eve
On 31 December, Coastguard Auckland’s Trillian Trust Rescue crew worked in challenging 35-40 knot winds, bringing a group of boaties home safely.
Coastguard Whitianga also had a packed schedule, assisting a yacht taking on water after running aground and locating a kite surfer reportedly in trouble. Thankfully, the kite surfer was safe and experienced, allowing the crew to stand down.
New Year’s Day and beyond
The start of 2025 continued to test the mettle of Coastguard volunteers. On 2 January, Coastguard Taranaki received their first call-out of the year to a vessel that had lost power about 2NM off New Plymouth. The vessel and crew were safely towed back to port and were even joined by a pod of dolphins riding their wake on the way back.
By 3 January, Coastguard Whitianga had averaged two calls a day since New Year’s, often working in challenging conditions. With back-to-back calls, their backup crew was activated to manage the workload, ensuring all boaties were brought home safely. The start of 2025 continued to test the Coastguard volunteers. On 2 January, Auckland Coastguard’s Trillian Trust Rescue tackled ‘washing machine’ conditions to tow a 32-foot launch with steering failure and adrift 6 NM north of Great Barrier Island back to Fitzroy Harbour (Great Barrier Island.) That same night, Coastguard Whitianga embarked on a five-hour mission to jump-start a boat near Cuvier Island in rough 1.5-metre seas and 25-30 knot winds.
The tireless efforts of Coastguard volunteers over this period highlight their unwavering commitment to maritime safety. The crews come out in quite rough weather, at times placing themselves in danger; so be vigilant and prepared on the water.
