Kawau Volunteer Coastguard

20/08/2026

Our neighbors!

20/08/2026

Bailing Options

Skipper Thelma reporting 19 August

This afternoon's callout was a very quick one, with a yacht suffering mechanical "issues" just after departing the Marina and losing power just past Sandspit wharf.

A nearby water taxi was able to grab the keeler and attach them to a free mooring - albeit stern first, until we could barge it back into the Marina.

Backing it into it's own berth wasn't going to be easy, so we tied it to the work berth where the broken throttle cable was fixed by the time we'd flushed our engines and tidied up.

Hopefully the rest of their cruise won't be as eventful!

But it's a good reminder to check that your "bail out" options (eg. how to drop the anchor in a hurry etc) have been tested before you need them.

Thanks to Paul, Len & Neale, plus Al for deflating us...

03/08/2026

In time for summer!

It's been mostly a beautiful time on the water so far this winter... who knows summer might bless us as well! That means lots of boats and people... time for us to get ready!

So we are calling for Volunteers! We have vacancies within the unit for boat crew recruits.

If you are fit and active and ready to commit volunteer hours to become a Coastguard Recruit, we would like to hear from you.

Full training is given and whilst a boating background is desirable, prior experience on the water is not essential. Visit our website www.coastguardkawau.org.nz for details and then call our unit President - David Vale for an initial chat.

19/07/2026

Found and lost

Skipper Paul reporting

Sunday morning tasking was to a boat in Jaimeson’s Bay to recover a Kayak that they had picked up drifting in Sullivan’s bay on the way to their mooring.

We discussed it with the DO and it looked as if it was either on the beach and washed away at high tide or it had come loose from a boat that was towing it. There was apparently a long painter attached to the kayak.

Off we went to get the Kayak and assess the situation. We made a decision, based on the following, that there was no missing person, just a lost Kayak:

1- the Kayak had the paddle secured to it,
2 -t here were no personal items stowed on the kayak in the waterproof sections,
3- a long painter was attached.

All of the above supported the decision from Ops and the police was that there was no missing person just a lost Kayak.

Many thanks to the boatie who took the time to recover it and call it in, much better to do that than ignore a potential person in the water issue.

If you have lost one, then get in touch and if you can tell us correctly what it is and a few distinguishing marks then we can return it. President - David Vale: 027 471 8786.

Thanks to Neale, Dan and Nick for their time and input today, a nice morning on the water with just a few showers. Back home by 1430 and hopefully quiet for

rest of Sunday.

19/07/2026

Kawau Rescue working her way through those choppy seas...

19/07/2026

17/07/2026

Join us before you need us

Skipper Thelma reporting

Yesterday's callout was to a powerboat that had broken down just south of Horn Rock and needed a tow back to Gulf Harbour.

The vessel was a relatively heavy 7.5m diesel powered one, and they weren't members. Ops had figured out we could probably tow them back at a better speed than the smaller rescue boats given sea conditions were getting a bit grumpy.

As most of our team were still at work at 1500 on a Friday, some coercion was required to get a full complement of crew, but once sorted, we headed east for 28 NM, carefully working our way through a huge gannet and dolphin banquet, and found the boat bobbing around on anchor.

Given the bumpy conditions, some good helm and hook coordination was demonstrated to get them hooked on the tow line on the first attempt. Then we took a bit of strain while the anchor was retrieved from 50+m of water.

The slow beat into a 35knot Sou'wester began. The 1.5 - 2m close chop meant we couldn't exceed 7 knots for the first few hours of the 33 NM trip back. As the tide slackened we got some shelter from land, and were able to pick the speed up as we approached Tiri channel. I'm sure there isn't a cobweb left on our roof!

Once at Gulf Harbour Marina, we were able to push them onto their airberth and have a quick break, before returning home.

Unfortunately, the rough trip back had also seen their large, fish-filled chilly bin break loose on the stern and flip over so that the trip's catch was returned to the briny - just to add insult to injury.

Another 18NM to get home and we'd done about 79 NM for the 7 hour round trip.

Thanks to crew of Bruce R, Len, Neale & Nick, plus Al for deflating us and sorting out the airberth while we were gone,

12/07/2026

Weekend water happenings

Skipper Thelma reporting:

Our first callout was at 1130 this morning, to a 6.5m runabout that had run out of petrol on the way home from a fishing trip in the outer Gulf & was anchored east of North Channel. As we made our way through about 30 anchored boats in the Channel, we expected this wasn't going to be our only outing today.

We were quickly alongside the runabout, he lifted his anchor, the crew had it quickly hooked onto the tow rope and away we went, back towards Buckelton's Bay, where we unhooked and pushed the boat into shallow enough water that he didn't get his shorts wet.
Nice one crew of Bruce, Rob & Donn.

Back to Sandspit, refuel, clean up and start a sweep-stake on when the next page is going to come.

Ops didn't disappoint and paged us out at 1630, so Len didn't get to watch the rugby! (Sorry Len)

This task was to a young guy on a SeaDoo that had filled with water so had been beached on Motuora Island before it sank. Unfortunately, he didn't know what part was leaking, but suspected the jet seal.

On arrival we hooked the PWC onto our tow rope, took an extra passenger on board and swiveled the ski off the beach via towing it from the bow fairlead.

Once it was floating - although very low in the water - we pulled it alongside, removed the covers then managed to fit our whale pump suction - the arm powered one - into the engine compartment of the jetski.

Our crew and the owner were busy pumping it continuously while we barged it alongside us to Martin's Bay, the closest boat ramp.

We'd added some fenders for flotation in case we couldn't keep up with water coming in, but all went well and we pulled into Martin's Bay 30 mins later, just as the jet ski trailer was being delivered from Orewa.

This operator also managed to get ashore with dry shorts and we packed our gear away and headed home.

Thanks to Bruce, Rob & Len for this one. A perfectly calm, clear night on the water....unless you wanted to watch the rugby...!

06/07/2026

What we do on our weekends

Skipper Thelma reporting:

Crew 3 training on Sunday included practising position fixes using charts and a hand compass, which kept everyone's brains sharp.

With a competition running as to who was the most accurate, everyone's positioning was very accurate and the winner was too close to pick!

(Daylight does help!)