Surf Life Saving New Zealand is frustrated after a swimmer who ignored lifeguards' advice had to later be rescued from Piha beach in Auckland.
It was just one of many rescues carried out on Christmas on beaches across the country.
Despite the wet and gloomy weather in many areas, surf lifeguards across the country were kept busy on Christmas Day, with 13 rescues and 10 assists performed nationally.
In total, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) spent more than 2197 hours patrolling Aotearoa New Zealand's coastlines on Christmas Day.
While many regions were relatively quiet, there were several major rescues on Christmas including a mass rescue performed at Wainui near Gisborne, a multiservice (SLSNZ, Coastguard New Zealand, and Police) search and rescue operation for a missing kite surfer at Raglan, multiple rescues at Waipātiki, and the treatment and helicopter transfer of a suspected spinal injury at Whangamatā.
Meanwhile, at Piha, two members of the public ignored surf lifeguards' advice about a safe place to swim.
Later on, one of the swimmers got into trouble in the water and surf lifeguards had to perform a tube rescue with assistance from an inflatable rescue boat.
SLSNZ CEO Steve Fisher said that one of the association's core objectives is to intervene early and stop a situation from escalating. He said both paid and volunteer surf lifeguards are present to provide guidance and expert advice to the public.
"We exist to support the public in safely enjoying New Zealand's coastlines. Surf lifeguards have an excellent understanding of the many dangers present, and we highly recommend that the public heeds our advice, particularly when it comes to some of our country's more dangerous beaches such as Piha," he said.
"The situation at Piha could have very easily become a serious or even fatal incident without the second intervention performed by surf lifeguards there, however, it is frustrating when members of the public do not heed our early guidance."
Fisher said members of the public can find safety information on the Safe Swim website, and information boards and signage at beaches.
The safest place to swim is between the red and yellow flags, he added.
His advice comes as police revealed on Tuesday that 76 people have been lost to drowning so far this year. It is the same number as this time last year which was the country's worst year for drownings since 2011 with 94 deaths.
