New Zealand Coastguard’s free bar awareness roadshow will be in Te Puke next week.
Focusing on the Maketū/Kaituna Cut, the seminar will provide information to help boaties build the skills, local knowledge and confidence needed to make safe decisions when crossing a bar.
It is part of an eight-stop campaign that began in September, and more than 1800 people have attended so far.
At each seminar, participants have been taught critical safety practices for bar crossings, how to read the bar and assess conditions, when it’s safe to go, how to log a bar crossing report with NZ Coastguard, and have benefited from the knowledge of local Coastguard volunteers and fellow boaties.
The NZ Coastguard is running the seminars in partnership with the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC).
“Too many boating tragedies happen in the waters we think we know best, with most incidents occurring within just 400m offshore,” said the fishing council’s Mike Plant.
New Zealand Coastguard’s Free Bar Awareness Roadshow will be in Te Puke next week. Photo / Supplied
“That is why the NZSFC’s Hooked on Safety campaign sees clubs once again partnering with Coastguard to take bar awareness education directly into local communities.
”With the weather improving and the holiday period on the horizon, for many Kiwis that means more time out on the water."
According to Water Safety New Zealand, while preventable drownings fell to 72 in 2024 – down from 90 in 2023 – fatalities involving powered craft rose to 25% of all cases, with 18 lives lost, with many in tidal waters or during bar crossings.
More than half occurred close to shore, including five capsizes on bars. On February 7 this year, Coastguard’s National Operations Centre logged a record 753 bar crossing reports in a single day – showing just how many of us take on these challenges.
But before you head off for a day’s boating, Coastguard and the fishing council are reminding boaties to be prepared for one of the trickiest – and most dangerous – parts of the trip: crossing the bar.
Last year, 2175 people attended the seminars – more than four times the number in 2023 – and this year, Coastguard and the fishing council are aiming even higher, because they know knowledge saves lives.
Coastguard also offers a range of videos for those keen to upskill, including bar-specific guides for Kaipara, Port Waikato, and Manukau, plus tutorials on logging a Bar Crossing Trip Report and maintaining inflatable lifejackets, all available on Coastguard’s YouTube channel.
The free local seminar takes place at Te Puke Citizens RSA on Thursday, December 11, starting 7pm.
More information about bar crossings is at: https://www.coastguard.nz/barawareness