Kawau Volunteer Coastguard

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.

Nine to Five (30)Skipper Paul reporting:The callout at 0900 on Saturday morning was to a 6.6 m Haynes hunter that was ad...
10/10/2026

Nine to Five (30)

Skipper Paul reporting:

The callout at 0900 on Saturday morning was to a 6.6 m Haynes hunter that was adrift off Pakiri beach with an outboard not working. The weather was dull and overcast with little wind and we were soon on the water and off to the boat.

We quickly found the boat and the two fisherfolk who were happy to go back home although there were still more fish to catch😊. They had mechanical issues with an engine - many error messages appearing.

We hooked them up and while they wanted to go to Point Wells, the tide was quickly dropping, so we took them to Omaha where a friend bought a trailer around.

We were back in Sandpit for 1230 many thanks to Dave, Neale, and Nick.

But wait, there's more!

We were just in time to do a prearranged induction trip out with 4 potential recruits. Hence we went out again so that the recruits had a chance to see how the boat felt, what it was like to drive and to ask a few extra questions.

Tim did a great job of managing their induction and bringing them out in the boat. Dave left for other business and Tim replaced him.

While out we got another tasking to a yacht becalmed at Anchorite rock. It was a 62 ft ferrocement boat, out of diesel.

We dropped off our inductees and then went to fuel up 40l for the yacht. Finally we rendezvoused with the boat, passed across the diesel and then returned home for around 1730.

Many thanks to Tim, Neale, and Nick.

This morning's post about a flat battery with no back up near Great Barrier is exactly what we're talking about...
30/09/2026

This morning's post about a flat battery with no back up near Great Barrier is exactly what we're talking about...

Back up to back up plans Skipper Thelma reportingThis afternoon's callout should have been simple, though long - a smal...
30/09/2026

Back up to back up plans

Skipper Thelma reporting

This afternoon's callout should have been simple, though long - a small boat asking for help with a flat battery off Wellington Heads, Great Barrier Island.

That's a long way to go for a pretty simple task, but it sounded as though these guys, as non-members, had already been floating around for quite a while hoping someone could help them.

"Air Berth Al" already had "Kawau Rescue" getting ready to go as we all arrived, and so a crew of 5 were soon zooming across the Gulf on a very calm sea.

Doubt arose as we closed in on the reported location and there was no boat in sight. We checked out a few possibilities, while the good folks at Ops tried to refine the vessel's location.

In our boat, cell phones were going flat and there was a language barrier with our customers - it wasn't going so well.

On spotting the DOC service vessel "Hauturu" heading west, we asked them to also keep their eyes peeled, while we circled around outer Port Abercrombie and an assortment of rocky islands.

Some of the crew seemed better at spotting fish than people, but they soon got back on task.

About 30 mins later, the Hauturu reported they'd spotted our customers enthusiastically waving hi-viz shirts near Horn Rock, a mere 7 nautical miles away from the first reported position!

With a change of direction, we soon located the 4.6m open boat and tied alongside. It is an understatement to say they were very pleased to see us. Luke burrowed in under the centre console, applied our jump pack, wriggled a few wires and soon had the outboard gurgling away again.

We handed over some bottled water (thanks again New World Warkworth ) to these rather parched fisho's, made sure they were pointing in the right direction to find Leigh Harbour and headed home ourselves. At least it wasn't going to be a tow!

A 65 NM sojourn for us and a lot of angst for these guys, heading towards a dark unknown night.

If you are heading so far offshore, best have a back up plan and a back up to that plan in case things fail. Neither the boat radio or GPS were going to work without power, making them a lot harder to find. Fortunately we had help from Hauturu - this could have been a different story!

Thanks to the sleuthing work in Ops, the crew of MV Hauturu and our crew of Bruce, Neale, Donn and Luke, all were safe.

(I've learnt my lesson - don't compile the monthly stats at midday on the last day of the month - that is just asking for a callout.)

Tractorisation?It's not a frequent event, in fact no-one else on crew can remember ever seeing an award ceremony with a ...
28/09/2026

Tractorisation?

It's not a frequent event, in fact no-one else on crew can remember ever seeing an award ceremony with a Certificate of Tracterisation.

"Tractor Al" has been driving the Landini for a few years now. A few times a week driving her down the beach with a crew freshly scrambled in place, ready to launch and be poised for action. (After convincing her to start.)

Drive - launch, return, repeat until the task is complete and our crew and the Landini are home to our compound. Tractor Al and the Landini were a reliable team. (Sometimes she refused to start, but we're all like that.)

So Tractor Al received recognition of the highest order of Tractorisation. Thoroughly deserved.

But nothing lasts forever .... we knew it would happen.

A brand new Airberth was installed in the Marina to make life easier and quicker. No beach work. Now Tractor Al just organises the raising and lowering of the the berth and does whatever fiddling about is needed. Much easier but not so entertaining.

The Landini? She was sold the other day. Just like that - gone. A pity, many appreciated her time with us. Especially Al - you can see the emotion and how much he loved the Landini. (Secretly we all have that soft spot.) We move on.

Anyway we thank them both for their service and marvel at the relative ease of launching Kawau Rescue now. Though "Airberth Al" doesn't have the same ring to it!

Narrow escape? Skipper Paul reportingWe've been called out Two days in a row. This afternoon’s callout was for a 5.5m H...
24/09/2026

Narrow escape?
Skipper Paul reporting

We've been called out Two days in a row. This afternoon’s callout was for a 5.5m Haynes Hunter. It was located on the narrow inlet towards the campground in Whangateau harbour, close to the campground.

The callout was at around 5pm, at around high water. Al had prepped the Airberth for us so we were off on the boat quickly. Great job !

Since the customer's boat was located in the very narrow, shallow, channel close to the camp ground we were grateful it was high water and that we got there within an hour of high tide.

Luckily, it was still dusk when we arrived, and we could see our target at once, in the harbour. We went around into the channel and passed over our battery pack, then started his engine.

Our customer then tried to pull up his anchor, but the engine tripped out again and again we then restarted it.

Because the engine had already stopped once, rather than let him motor back, we left his engine running and towed him back into the main channel.

Once there we practiced catch and release ( 😊) and let him go to continue his journey to the boat ramp. His engine had warmed up, hadn’t stopped again, and he was in a wider stretch of water where there was more time to grab him if the engine failed.

Off he went and having watched for a few moments we too went - off home.

We'll do thisSkipper Paul reportingLast nights call out was well timed at 1804, all the crew apart from me had eaten; a...
24/09/2026

We'll do this

Skipper Paul reporting

Last nights call out was well timed at 1804, all the crew apart from me had eaten; although Sean only managed one sausage 😊. The call was for a yacht, off Saddle Island who had run out of fuel and wanted to go into Jamieson bay ( the wh**ky doesn’t have an “I” just for info).

Lots of crew turned up and we whittled ourselves down to 5 including myself and off we went to the yacht, Airberth Al had already dropped the boat in the water.

Bit choppy on the way out heading into the South westerly but we quickly found the yacht. Luckily, he showed up on radar since he also had a fuse blown which meant he wasn’t showing any lights, only showing a light as we got close.

Next, we had to raise his anchor without power, and this meant coming alongside and tying on and taking the yacht's weight off the anchor line while he pulled it up. Once the anchor was out of the way we hooked the towline set up over his capstan ( the only deck fitting) and towed him into Jamieson Bay. Lots of yachts moored and we slowly approached on a shortened tow and found a place to anchor; after some adjustment he was comfortable for the night.

He had a friend coming to help in the morning. So we left him happy to wait for his friend, off we went, back to Sandspit.

At Sandspit Thelma and Neale did the wash-down for us while we went to meet up with others in the SSYC where we had held our AGM from 7pm. Then back to the boat to finish off the last dregs.

Many Thanks to Glen, Sean, Derek and Oli for their great work and they made it look easy. A special shout to Oli on his first callout after two training trips out.

It’s worth a mention that the yachtie wasn’t a member. With the cost of the capital of supporting boats and maintenance, the running of the radio operation, other overheads like training programmes for volunteers etc. CNZ charge us out at around $350 per hour, for members it is free. We only get our diesel cost and even that is getting bigger nowadays.

Join up and save money if you breakdown.

Saturday afternoon, an open day, at the Sandspit Yacht Club, we met some interesting people interested in discussing lif...
21/09/2026

Saturday afternoon, an open day, at the Sandspit Yacht Club, we met some interesting people interested in discussing life as a Coastguard volunteer.

There's a way to go but it would be great to see these new faces signed up and going through basic training.
Thanks all.

Welcome vessel 1 and also vessel 2Skipper Thelma reportingToday's 1630 callout was to a family in a 6m runabout, trying...
16/09/2026

Welcome vessel 1 and also vessel 2

Skipper Thelma reporting

Today's 1630 callout was to a family in a 6m runabout, trying to get back from a day trip to Gt Barrier Island, but who had succumbed to an electrical failure with the outboard, a couple of miles off Omaha Beach.

(Note to self - don't ever think "well that shouldn't take long"....)

As we made our way out of Sandspit, I could hear our radio operator talking to another boat and discussing the options of a tow to either Gt Barrier or Omaha.

The prospect of getting home in time for dinner was starting to fade. Shortly after this was the call of "Skipper please phone Ops".....yip, we'd be touring the outer Gulf tonight and dinner wasn't going to be hot.

However, the first boat was anchored north of Tawharanui and everyone was very happy to see us - seldom do we get such a welcome. The crew quickly had the tow rope attached and they were once again underway, just a little quieter this time. They were dropped back at the Omaha ramp and were getting sorted to go back on the trailer as we headed east again, this time aiming for Horn Rock.

Fortunately it was a calm night, and about an hour later we detected a lonely dot on our radar, which was another very grateful boatie. He'd been drifting around for hours and was decidedly chilly by now. The problem with this outboard was probably just a fouled plug, but without suitable tools on board, he was stranded. And Horn Rock is a long way from anywhere.
This boat also joined our "Tow rope club" as we headed back to Omaha again.

To be fair, it was a nice night on the water...especially if your boat engine worked....and Neale was keeping himself entertained on the back of our boat taking "wake" photos while the muesli bar box was being passed around for this evening's meal. (Thanks New World Warkworth)

After a 2.5hr round trip, we were back at Omaha again, with another very thankful, if chilly, customer. As he wasn't a Coastguard member, it was an expensive day out..

All good - we zoomed back to Sandspit, refueled and then found - oh no - WE ALSO had electrical issues - one engine wasn't interested in starting, to move the 50m back to our berth. (Fortunately engine number 2 was a happy box of steel & wires & played the game). Something to sort out tomorrow.

Thanks to the crew of Dave, Neale, Len & Rod - back in his overalls and ready for a summer on the water. (Wake photo Neale Wills)

Kawau Coastguard Recruiting Rescue Vessel Volunteer Crew. – Open Afternoon.Have you thought about joining Coastguard and...
13/09/2026

Kawau Coastguard Recruiting Rescue Vessel Volunteer Crew. – Open Afternoon.

Have you thought about joining Coastguard and wondered what is involved? Come down to Sandspit Yacht Club Marina for a chat and a look around our Rescue Vessel.

On Saturday 19 th September, we are holding an open afternoon for anyone interested in learning more about volunteering with Kawau Coastguard.

Where: Sandspit Yacht Club Marina jetty to the right of the boat ramp.

When: Saturday 19 th September from 12.30 to 15.00

We are a volunteer unit based at Sandspit providing rescue services to boaties in the main from the Mahurangi Harbour up to Leigh/Goat Island and out to Little Barrier Island and beyond.

Our area includes the popular Omaha boat ramp and fishing grounds around Kawau Island.

All of our volunteer crew are locals supporting boaties in our local area. In fact you would need to be within 20 minutes of Sandspit to respond to call-outs.

While prior boating experience is desirable - its not required, as we give full training to all our volunteers.

If you’re interested in volunteering, check out our website, www.coastguardkawau.org.nz/join-the-crew for further information or just call down to see us for a no obligation chat.

We are holding an open afternoon for anyone interested in learning more about Coastguard Kawau - and possibly, volunteer...
08/09/2026

We are holding an open afternoon for anyone interested in learning more about Coastguard Kawau - and possibly, volunteering. See you there!

Saturday 19th September 12:30-3pm
Sandspit Yacht Club Marina jetty to the right of the boat ramp.

https://www.coastguardkawau.org.nz/

Address

1454 Sandspit Road
Auckland
0982

Telephone

+6421390965

Website

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