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Feature Story
Waka Ama Man Overboard Demonstration
The National Waka Ama Sprint Nationals held recently at
Lake Karapiro this year featured a water safety
demonstration event on man overboard waka capsize and
rescue tube procedures. The purpose of this event was to
encourage correct use of rescue tubes in a man overboard
situation. These procedures are part of the Waka Ama
Guidelines provided by Maritime New Zealand in
association with Nga Kaihoe O Aotearoa. Water Safety New
Zealand Coordinator, Mark Haimona, approached Nga Kaihoe
O Aotearoa last year to request the inclusion of this
event as a way of promoting water safety and emergency
procedures amongst waka crews. The guidelines state that
‘Waka leaders/Kaihautu must ensure at all times that
there are sufficient crew members who are capable of
taking charge of the situation in the event of the waka
swamping, rolling or capsizing’. Haimona believes that
‘training in the use of rescue tubes for all waka ama
crews is an important skill to learn and should be
practiced by all paddlers, particularly those that
venture out into open water’.
Two crews volunteered to be part of this demonstration
event, the Woolly Kumara’s from the Horouta Club in
Gisborne, and Te Toki U19s from the Te Toki Voyaging
Trust, Hamilton. The event was staged on the Wednesday
of the Nationals with the crews paddling 500m with a
waka capsize just before the 250m halfway turning buoy.
Two crew members were nominated as 1) Rescuer, and 2)
Patient. Whilst the Rescuer used the rescue tube to
assist the Patient, other crew members went about
righting the waka, bailing water and paddling around the
250m marker buoy before picking up both the Patient and
Rescuer then returning to the finish. Overall, the event
went really well and prompted a lot of interest by club
members to continue developing water safety and
equipment procedures amongst their waka crews. |
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Whangaroa Regatta Day
During the new year Water Safety New Zealand attended
and supported the Whangaroa Regatta Day held at the
Whangaroa Fishing Club in the Far North. It is an event
that has been run successfully for the past few years
and one that provides a fun day for kids and families
based in and on the water. Daniel Cleaver from the Kaeo
Police invited WSNZ to participate as part of a bigger
push towards water and marine safety in the area. ‘I
would like to push the water safety aspect of water
activities. In the Kaeo area (Takou Bay to Taupo Bay)
there are more marine fatalities than road fatalities’
says Cleaver. With a variety of water activities ranging
from fishing competitions, swimming races, tug of war,
dog swimming race, bomb competition, throw-bagging,
sailing, waka ama, and the annual swim & run challenge,
there were events for everyone to participate and enjoy.
Co-organiser, Paddy Whiu, Police Liason Officer for the
Far North, used his MC and singing skills to keep the
crowds entertained right through out the day. WSNZ
provided BoatSafe resources and donated two RFD
lifejackets to the winners of the throw bag competitions
which were won by a local father and son combination. |
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Whanau Nui - Manukau
Pools
Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) has endorsed and
assisted to resource the valuable community initiative
in Manukau that offers free lessons to families wanting
to learn and develop swim and survival skills. This week
long programme provides the opportunity for children,
parents and whanau to learn together and develop core
survival skills in the water. Injury Free Counties
Manukau in partnership with Manukau City Council Leisure
Services and WaterSafe Auckland have facilitated the
lessons, which aim to reduce the number of
non-intentional injuries in the Counties Manukau area,
with a specific focus on high risk groups such as Maori,
Pacific Island and Migrant/New settler communities. WSNZ
Maori Water Safety Project Coordinator Mark Haimona has
been involved with the Whanau Nui Swim project since
2005. Haimona comments; “the Whanau Nui Swim project has
provided Maori in the Manukau region with an opportunity
to learn an essential life skill whilst embracing our
culture.” “Some outstanding resources have been
developed as by-products of the project including the
Akona Te Kauhoe learn to swim guide produced by the
Manukau City Council”. This booklet provides specific
learn to swim commands in te reo Maori for instructors
to communicate with tamariki and whanau.
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Weet-Bix Swimprove with Hamish
Carter & Debbie Tanner
Triathlon stars Hamish Carter and Debbie Tanner were on hand to give
a special SwimProve session to the lucky Weetbix Kiwikids Tryathlon
Competition winners from around the North Island. WSNZ Coordinator,
Mark Haimona assisted with the session in providing skills & drills
on water safety techniques. Ihapera Riria Tihi, 13, from Ruatoki was
one of the 12 winners that were invited to the session. Ihapera was
grateful to her nanny who took the initiative to enter her mokopuna
in the national competition. The day started off with a meet the
stars session followed by two pool sessions on water skills useful
for triathlon participation. Each participant received at Weetbix
pack along with a Swim for Life rash vest and T.Shirt supplied by
Water Safety New Zealand. |
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RFD & Water Safety New Zealand
Partnership
Due to the generous support of RFD NZ Ltd, Water Safety
New Zealand is able to offer a heavily discounted
selection of quality lifejackets and buoyancy aids to
WSNZ member organisations and other water safety
education providers including schools, that are aligned
with WSNZ initiatives. For more information
click on the RFD Logo.
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