Four boat deaths are a tragic reminder of the dangers of crossing sandbanks – Coast Guard

A Kaikōura Coast Guard boat in South Bay.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee

The Coast Guard says the dangers of crossing sandbars were tragically highlighted by two boating accidents on the South Island within two weeks this month, but it hopes to better educate boaters with its first national sandbar awareness campaign.

Three people died when their boat capsized on the Riverton Bar in early August and last Saturday a man died when a boat capsized while approaching the Catlins River Bar.

The Coast Guard campaign begins this weekend with the first seminars at the New Zealand Fishing Hunting and 4X4 Expo in Rotorua.

Simon Marshall, head of the Coast Guard's bar awareness program, said the message must be clear: if in doubt, don't go out.

“[Crossing a bar] is the most dangerous thing you can do on your boat, so you must treat Moana with respect and make all preparations before you set off.”

Whether you are crossing a sandbar for the first time or the hundredth time, something can go wrong, he added.

“Treat the bar with respect, come to one of our bar crossing seminars across the country… always be prepared, always wear a life jacket, always carry a personal locator beacon and a VHF radio.”

Marshall said the Coast Guard had been running seminars for several years, but until last year they had focused on the Auckland region.

Eleven seminars will take place in 2023, he said.

“We're almost doubling that this year with seminars in over 20 locations. This is the first time we've done a national campaign with advertising, and we've packaged it all as a roadshow.

The seminars were held by volunteers from the local coast guard, members of fishing clubs and some harbor masters, he said.

“It's by the community, for the community. It's been a real challenge to coordinate more than 20 community groups… but it's been amazing how quickly everyone has come on board because everyone understands how important this work is.”

Over the next few months, more than 20 free seminars will take place around the Motu.

A seminar scheduled to take place in Riverton was postponed out of respect for the local community, Marshall said.