Kawau Volunteer Coastguard

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Kawau Volunteer Coastguard

We're the local Coastguard Unit for Rodney, operating from Sandspit. We cover Kawau Bay, Mahurangi, Te Arai Point, and out to Little Barrier Island.

We are volunteer run and are always looking for more! Send us a message for details on joining.

17/06/2026

Hi! Sophia and Megan from South Cove, Kawau Island are doing the Big Swim to raise funds for Coastguard throughout June, and they'd love your support.

They often see the Coastguard team around Kawau Island and are glad to support the crew, clock up the kilometres and raise funds to help keep us out on the water and saving lives.

If you'd like to chip in to help them reach their fundraising target, any amount makes a huge difference! You can donate securely on their page right here: https://bigswim.org.nz/megan-and-soph

16/06/2026

National Volunteers week honours the collective energies and efforts of volunteers, and none more so than our dedicated boat crew and radio team. (Skipper Thelma reporting)

Despite a chilly start to the day, our crew headed out of Sandspit this morning to retrieve a boat that had broken down at Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island / Aotea last night.

Yes, it was a lovely trip across and the tranquil scenery of Port Fitzroy never disappoints, especially on a morning when the harbour was glassy calm. The crew of the boat we'd come to retrieve were very happy (and relieved) to see us, and, after a quick briefing, under tow back to the mainland. Various sensors on their outboard decided it wasn't going any further under it's own steam, so it'll be off to the repair shop shortly. It did tow well though!

The trip back to Sandspit was equally scenic and uneventful, with a pod of small common dolphins zooming up briefly to say hello, but otherwise, they were more interested in catching fish.

A four and a half hour round trip, then a quick refuel and clean up of the boat.

Thanks to the crew of Craig, Bruce & Neale, plus our cheerful Ops room, for keeping track of everyone.
Thelma

14/06/2026

A long way off shore...

Skipper Thelma reporting

With brilliant weather over the weekend, we made the most of training, including some night training for crew 3. Using the scenario of a missing 4.2m open runabout, our crew were upskilling on searching and navigating using the radar, as well as spotlight use, and search planning. Just as we were "homing in" on our missing target at 1915, we were requested by Ops to assist a small vessel that actually needed assistance.

Interestingly enough, it was a 4.2m open runabout, however this one was broken down at East Cape, Little Barrier, with 3 people on board who were getting decidedly chilly. It's a long way offshore in a small boat, especially in the dark.

Conditions were perfect for zooming across the Gulf, and we located the boat about 45 mins later, anchored close to the island, with minimal torch power left and a dead motor. The motor responded to our jump pack and two of the three young guys on board were very quick to swap boats, while we loaned a radio and torch to the skipper. He followed our stern lights back to Omaha under his own power, checking in every 10 mins or so, while his mates made the most of the warm beanies and blankets on board. (A lot quicker than a tow).

An hour or so later, we made our way into the Whangateau harbour and returned them all safely to the ramp. After checking the boat went onto the trailer ok, we returned to Sandspit, on a calm but very chilly night, getting back at 2300hrs.

Thanks to Craig, Andrew S, Tim, Glenn, Sean & Luke for a chilly nights work.

On Sunday Craig, Andrew and Glenn were back out on the water to go over setting up search patterns and gathering some local area knowledge, although this skipper thought it may have been a scouting exercise for future fishing spots!

Hopefully that's it for the weekend. Thanks team.

12/06/2026

Mid week - great weather for

Skipper Thelma reporting (Weds 10/06)

It has not gone unnoticed that the mid- week weather is definitely better than the weekends. Today was a very nice day on the water - improved if your boat played the game and moved at your command!

Today's callout was to a twin engine, 11m launch that was having gearbox issues, so was motoring up from Auckland to the Mahurangi Harbour on one engine, to lift out and get repairs.

Unfortunately, gearbox number two went out in sympathy just off the end of Whangaparaoa, halting progress to the boat lift.

We departed Sandspit at midday and had soon tracked down the - now anchored- launch. A nice hook up onto the towing eye was followed by a slow tow north. The boat was both quite heavy and also had a pretty dirty hull, so we were all in cruise mode.

By the time we arrived at the Mahurangi harbour, the tide was ebbing, preventing us getting up the river, so we left the launch at anchor - minus the food, beer & dinghy they'd unloaded and left behind to make the boat lighter for slipping.....and we headed back to Sandspit.

Thanks to today's crew of Craig, Tim, Len & Luke, all of whom refrained from fishing, but did get twitchy when passing schools of fish! Here's hoping the weather lasts until the weekend

07/06/2026

Training and action

Skipper Paul reporting

Sunday was a successful day for us. We went out training and, on the way home, we helped a stranded jet ski get back to Omaha.

We had a full boat today with several trainees and a balance of qualified crew. After splitting up the crew and trainees, we had three groups of training going on in different parts of the boat. We also came together to use the new salvage pump for the first time which worked very well.

On the way home we had a call from Ops to attend a Jet ski at Torkington Bay. This is across Omaha Bay and next to Matheson Bay, just to the west. The day was forecast at 20-25knot SW winds but staying inshore the wind wasn’t that bad in the lee of the land.

We had to work to get them into deeper water as the were in under a meter of water where they were. They reported having been in only 20cm earlier on and close to the rocks ringing the bay. Luckily, there was no real swell and we managed to grab them after a couple of false starts.

Our customers had been fishing but when they came to restart the ski it didn’t want to play. We tried a jump start just in case but no joy so a slow tow back to Omaha boat ramp, with them on board our boat.

A slow tow as there was no water shut off valve. If you have a jet ski get one fitted as it makes recovery to home much quicker.

Finally, back in the marina and washed up by just after 1915. Thanks to Dave, Neale, Dan, Tim, Michael, Nick and Oli. Out on the water for six and a half hours on the water by the time we finished.

31/05/2026

This time no lunch...

Skipper Thelma reporting

Saturday late morning page -1115am - had a familiar theme. The 8m launch was anchored near Rabbit island, with a stern drive that couldn't be engaged. This boat was an older, wooden model, and with a strong wind advisory in force and the Nor'easter getting up, we were a bit more cautious with the preparations for the tow.

We used the catenary (weighted chain) on a longer tow line to smooth out the tow, then headed off southwards, as this boat had also come from OBC. (in the city), taking the "inshore" line initially.

The vessel and both occupants handled the rolling well, and we anchored them in some calm water at Te Haruhi bay, Whangaparaoa, to be shuttled further south and into OBC by Maraetai Rescue.

Bonus points to Rob and Bruce for doing most of the Monthly boat checks while on the roll!

A return bounce and roll had us back in Sandspit 3.5hrs later.

Thanks for crew - this time without lunch - of Bruce R, Rob & Andrew W

30/05/2026

MMMM Muesli bars!

Skipper Thelma reporting

A six thirty pm Friday callout guaranteed that some crew members were going to be on the "See-no-food" diet, hadn't had dinner and the muesli bar box on board was going to get raided!

We were dispatched to find a 7m Surtees that was returning past Gt Barrier, after a (not particularly successful) day game fishing, when the outboard went into "Sulk" mode.

They were limping towards Auckland at about 5-6 knots, and called up from Horn Rock for assistance. We aimed a bit further south and met up closer to Anchorite Rock, to hook up a towline.

Some masterful pole work from Bruce R who attached a carabiner that was a very tight fit in the towing eye, that was only a smidge bigger, but fit it did. (Is it that the makers of aluminium boats don't ever think they'll need a tow?)

Then off we went towards the Sky Tower at a sedate 10 knots. Despite a grumpy forecast, the wind hadn't picked up much, we had great moonlight, excellent visibility and perfect night for a putter towards the city. Ships going the other way, gave us something to avoid!

Several hours later, the good folks from North Shore Rescue met us near Rangitoto to take over the last part of the tow and get the boat back to Outboard Boating Club.

Thanks team - although the muesli bars were starting to lose their appeal.

The trip north and home was both quick and smooth, we were back onto our berth around 2330pm.Thanks to the crew of Rob, Bruce R and Bruce S.

Note! If you are heading out on the water over the long weekend, make sure you get an up-to-date forecast - it's not looking great!

15/05/2026

The right call

Skipper Thelma
Tonight's callout was to a small dinghy with 2 young guys on board that needed retrieving from Vivian Bay. They were cold, wet and didn't have any lights.

They'd left from Buckelton's Beach earlier in the day, motored out to the north end of Kawau, then beached the dinghy near Slip Island to fish off the rocks.

Facing them on return, was a combination of the incoming tide trapping them on the rocks, and, then, after swimming back to the beach, that their boat was swamped. The day wasn't looking very good.

They were also in pretty marginal phone coverage and had difficulty calling for help. Fortunately a young family on a passing catamaran came to their assistance, retrieved their gear, warmed them up and called us to get them home again.

As it was a very small tinny, we loaded the guys and pretty much all their gear onto Kawau Rescue, put them in our nice warm cabin and towed the boat back to Buckletons, where they were pushed ashore to sort out wet gear and head home to Auckland.

Calling for help was definitely the right call, rather than head the 5 or so miles across the bay in a small, open and unlit dinghy, while already cold and wet!

Thanks to our cheerful crew 2 team of Dave, Neale, Dan & Jim for the evening excursion.

12/05/2026

Golf tournament 2026

Wind-assisted, the long shots went well past the tee on the way out and just not far enough on the way back. But that's golf and last Friday it was our Fund Raising Golf tournament at Omaha Beach Golf club.

50 Golfers, half of the Kawau Rescue crew, another 35 non playing guests, made for robust competition on and off the links. Inside the club house it was good cheer for all - lovely dinner, great bidding, wonderful hosting from Omaha Golf Club.

Some of the highlights - we sold all 9 live auction lots, and all of the 19 silent auction packages. For this we thank our sponsors and donors and our auctioneer Richard Withers. We asked him to auction off everything from a new bed plus accessories, (thank you NZ Bed company), to a rain water tank (thanks RainReserve.)

The meat packs and gifts from New World Warkworth the fabulous experiences made available (like Learning to Butcher with Warkworth Butchery) all made for a huge excitement level.

We were so moved by the heart-felt generosity of all our guests and the recognition by the donors, sponsors and so on - they understand that saving lives at sea doesn't happen by magic.

(Although certainly there was magic-making at the event. when President Dave announced that our new boat is now a "thing". )

See more soon. Thanks all.

10/05/2026

Another volunteer, Glenn, achieving his Qualified status - with Andrew doing the honours. We have all been busy on and off shore...but at last an opportunity1
Congratulations Glenn.

Address

1454 Sandspit Road
Auckland
0982

Telephone

+6421390965

Website

https://www.coastguard.nz/areas/northern-area/units/kawau/, https://coastguardkawau.raisely.com/, https://www.coastguard

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