That’s the word from Wānaka’s water safety advocates as a convoy of holiday makers begin their annual pilgrimage to lakes Wānaka and Hāwea this weekend.
Wānaka Lakes Coastguard unit response co-ordinator Jonathan Walmisley said he hoped for an incident-free summer, with lots of happy boating experiences.
"We have done our roster. The big change is we now have a 24-7 duty officer roster and they are on the phone.
The police know the number and people who go on our website can find the number.
If people want advice and assistance, please call us. That is what it is for," Mr Walmisley said.
One of the Coastguard’s biggest concerns was the Niwa forecast for a hot and windy summer.
"The concern for us is we have beautiful mornings and people go out and get caught out by the windy afternoons," Mr Walmisley said.
His message was for people to take radio and phone emergency communications and keep them dry.
If life or injury was an issue, people should not hesitate to call 111 and let police take control of the situation, he said.
For those who had broken down but were otherwise unharmed, the Coastguard could provide a tow back to town.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council is the harbourmaster for the lakes and rivers in its area.
Cougar Security is contracted to provide waterway patrols, with Phil Weil leading the Wānaka team.
Mr Weil said his team’s role was to educate about boating bylaws and minimise conflict between powered craft and swimmers.
Patrollers would be at boat ramps. There would also be two lake teams observing for speeds between the beach and the yellow 5-knot buoys and for lifejackets, he said.
There would also be a patroller on the Clutha River every day, between the Outlet and Red Bridge at Luggate, with the main focus at the Albert Town ramp.
Last season, the council processed between 10 and 15 patrol recommendations for enforcement action, Mr Weil said.
"We send them to the council and they make the decisions.
"Pretty much, with the majority of people we speak to, it is around speed and lifejackets."
One infringement notice last year related to five people in a boat on the Hunter River during the Christmas-New Year period, when the river was closed for boating.
The Clutha River between Albert Town and the Outlet camp was closed to recreational boating on November 30 for three months, but can still be used by authorised users such as the harbourmaster and commercial operators.
Swimming in ski lanes has been an issue in previous seasons so a Roys Bay ski lane has been temporarily closed this year to prevent conflict.
Eely Point is still open to water skiing but was "another example of a prime picnic beach with a ski lane and people swimming," Mr Weil said.
He could not stop people swimming in the Clutha River, but anyone floating down the river on the likes of rafts or inflatables had to wear a life jacket.
Mr Weil said if a boating accident occurred, it was the harbourmaster’s role to investigate.
If people wanted him, they should call the council communications centre in the first instance.
He would pass on search and rescue calls to police and Coastguard.
"I have not seen a collision on the lake and I don’t want to.
"That is our prime focus, to prevent that from happening," Mr Weil said.
In the summer period of 2022-23, Wānaka Lakes Coastguard assisted 34 people or organisations on lakes Wānaka or Hāwea.
Six operations supported police search and rescue, including the recovery of a swimmer who died in Lake Wānaka while swimming to the Roys Bay raft.
The coastguard crew also provided non-urgent help to 15 vessels and towed them back to town.
And they provided water safety services at nine events, including Wānaka’s signature summer triathlon, Challenge Wānaka.
In both cases, the boaties rang the unit for a tow home.
Mr Walmisley said the unit had not attended any incidents where alcohol had been a factor when boating.
"We’ve never had one, but there’s evidence there have been incidents on other lakes where alcohol may have been an influencing factor," he said.
Consuming alcohol could influence decision-making processes and should be avoided when boating, Mr Walmisley said.
Coastguard tows are provided by volunteers and paid for by donations for fuel.
Their boat, Waiariki Rescue, has a 500-litre tank, which at fuel prices of close to $3 per litre, could see it cost about $1500 to fill.
Mr Walmisley said it was possible for the Coastguard to use 50 litres of fuel an hour when travelling at speed.
Private donors, raffle ticket sales and quiz nights helped raise funds for the unit.
The national Coastguard organisation also contributed.
New members are welcome to volunteer..
There are presently 23 boat crew volunteers and seven who work from shore.
