The Water Safety New Zealand figures cover the period from 4pm on Christmas Eve to 6am last Friday.
The deaths include a man who got into trouble while crab fishing at Uretiti Beach, south of Whangarei, about 10am on Christmas Day.
A few hours later, a person died while snorkelling at Kai Iwi Lakes, north of Dargaville.
On Boxing Day, a 60-year-old swimmer died at Onemana Beach, 10km north of Whangamata.
The next day, a woman in her 60s died after a boat capsized in the Houhora Harbour, in the Far North.
On New Year’s Day, a 70-year-old man drowned near a boat ramp on Beach Rd, in Whangamata.
A total of 78 people died by drowning last year, provisional figures showed.
In 2018, a total of 68 people died by drowning around New Zealand. That was the second lowest number of drownings recorded since 2010, when 64 people drowned.
In 2017, 92 people drowned.
