Surf lifesaver Bill Goodwin has been watching over beach swimmers since the 1970s.
Based in the Coromandel, he currently patrols Onemana beach, Whangamata and Whiritoa.
"It's the best office in New Zealand. Good mates, good scenery - what more can a man want?" says Goodwin.
Aged 88, he's officially New Zealand's oldest patrolling surf lifeguard and the star of a TV advert in support of Surf Life Saving.
Mr Goodwin says the best part of the job is the people he meets, the friends he works with and the young lifeguards he teaches.
He's saved countless lives over his four decades on patrol.
"One day we pulled in 25 people. I used to feel good about it. I loved it."
And while there have been plenty of good days, there's also harder days that stick with him for a long time.
"The worst I think I had to pull in a body that had been out there for about 12 days. I couldn't sleep for about two or three weeks after that. It was tragic."
Onemana Surf Life Saving chairman Laurie Stubbing says Mr Goodwin is a mentor at the club.
"He's a great bloke. Young people gravitate to Bill, they love sitting around hearing him talk about people he saved and how he went about it," says Mr Stubbing.
Mr Stubbing says Mr Goodwin's fitness level is astounding.
"He puts most of us to shame - he really does. You see him out there he gets out beyond the breakers and will swim maybe 400-500 metres up and back. The young ones sit in the tower and are just in awe of him."
Mr Goodwin says he has no plans to retire and believes he'll still be patrolling in his 90s.
"When I had my 80th I had to do a midnight swim in the nude, and when I turned 85 it was the same. When I do turn 90, they reckon I'm going to do it again."
Newshub.
