Water Safety New Zealand

Water Safety New Zealand Water Safety New Zealand is the lead agent for water safety and drowning prevention in New Zealand.

We're dedicated to enhancing water safety across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our CE has been busy in his lifejacket today spreading the word about changes to lifejacket legislation which mean that ...
09/10/2026

Our CE has been busy in his lifejacket today spreading the word about changes to lifejacket legislation which mean that everyone on board a recreational boat six metres or less in length must now wear a properly fitted lifejacket. (Note "wear" - not "carry"!)

Shout out to Elliot of Barton Marine NZ for making sure Glen had his own correctly fitted.

Both sporting our ltd edition LEGENDS hats too! Cheers legends!

08/10/2026

☀️ It’s a HUGE day for New Zealand.

Today, a new lifejacket rule comes into effect that will save lives.

From today, everyone on board a recreational craft six metres or less must wear a properly fitted lifejacket while the craft is underway.

It’s a significant change that will make boating safer – and Water Safety New Zealand data tells us it could save 12 lives every year.

That’s something worth celebrating.

One lifejacket rule across the whole country.
Simple. Clear. Designed to save lives.

Help us celebrate this lifesaving change – and spread the word. 🔊▶️

Thank you to everyone across the water safety sector and wider community who has worked so hard to make this happen.

October 9, 2026 - a great day for New Zealand!

06/10/2026

Have your kids "got the skills?"

The school holidays often mean more time in and around the water.

Feeling comfortable under the water is an important part of building confidence.

Through the Water Skills for Life programme, tamariki learn how to safely submerge, open their eyes underwater, control their breathing and move beneath the surface. This is a very important step towards building confidence and improving safety.

Through Water Skills for Life our young people practise simple skills like picking up an object from the pool floor and moving underwater to the count of five.

The goal isn’t just being able to go underwater - it’s learning to stay calm, control breathing and feel confident when submerged.

These are practical skills that can help children feel more capable and comfortable in the water, whether they’re at the pool, beach, lake or river.

💧 These school holidays, or next time you're in the water with the kids - encourage your tamariki to practise being calm and confident in the water in a safe, supervised environment.

Just Dog diving in quickly to remind you that from Friday 9 October, everyone on board a recreational craft six metres a...
06/10/2026

Just Dog diving in quickly to remind you that from Friday 9 October, everyone on board a recreational craft six metres and under must wear a lifejacket while the craft is underway.

That's this Friday! 🐾👏🌊

Craft six metres and under cover most types of recreational craft used on the water, including small boats, kayaks, dinghies and jetskis. ⚓🚣🛶

If you’re on board while the craft is underway, the new rule is simple:
Wear your lifejacket.

And our message remains the same:
Always, always wear a lifejacket.

04/10/2026

(Half way there parents! 😅)

School holidays continue this week - and the warmer spring months mean more time around the water - at the beach, pool, lake, river or out on the boat. It's also an opportunity to check if your children are building knowledge around life saving water skills for life competencies.

Knowing how to get into and out of the water safely is an important part of being confident and keeping safe around water.

Through the Water Skills for Life programme, tamariki learn different ways to safely enter and exit the water - from stepping, wading, sliding and using a ladder, through to responding to an accidental fall-in, compact jumps, stride entries and climbing safely onto a boat or bank. Slips and falls are a real risk around water so "water entry" is a skill that we really focus on through our Water Skills for Life programme.

Just as importantly, they learn how to choose the right entry for the situation, check the depth and think before getting in.

These are practical skills that can help children make safer decisions around water - during the school holidays and throughout their lives.

Heading to the pool? Or taking a dip with the kids?💧 These school holidays, talk to your tamariki about how they would safely get into - and back out of - the places you swim.

Learn more about Water Skills for Life at waterskills.org

🐾 From Friday 9 October, the rules are changing.If you’re out on a recreational craft 6 metres or under, everyone on bo...
01/10/2026

🐾 From Friday 9 October, the rules are changing.

If you’re out on a recreational craft 6 metres or under, everyone on board must wear a lifejacket while the craft is underway. 🦺

That includes your jet ski, dinghy, sailboat, kayak, paddleboard or motorboat.

Yep. Everyone means everyone. And wearing means wearing - not just carrying on board.

So before you head out, get those lifejackets on and make sure everyone’s sorted.

Wear it. Every trip. Because lifejackets save lives.

Roll on October 9.

The weather is warming up 🌞 and the water is calling 🌊 But, it's important to remember that Spring is the deadliest seas...
30/09/2026

The weather is warming up 🌞 and the water is calling 🌊 But, it's important to remember that Spring is the deadliest season for craft-related drownings. Over the 10-year period from 2016 to 2025, a total of 164 people lost their lives in craft-related drownings in New Zealand.

Just under 35% of all craft-related fatalities – 57 deaths over the decade – happened in spring months.

Heading out?

Wherever you’re headed, make sure other people know your plans and what time to expect you back.

Make sure you and any passengers are wearing a correctly-fitted lifejacket,
take two waterproof ways to call for help, and stay up-to-date with weather forecasts.

Be part of the water safety community and help others make the right decisions around water.

🐾 So BIG NEWS around these parts. From Friday 9 October, the rules are changing.If you’re out on a recreational craft 6 ...
28/09/2026

🐾 So BIG NEWS around these parts.

From Friday 9 October, the rules are changing.

If you’re out on a recreational craft 6 metres or under, everyone on board must wear a lifejacket while the craft is underway. 🦺

That includes your jet ski, dinghy, sailboat, kayak, paddleboard or motorboat.

Yep. Everyone means everyone. And wearing means wearing - not just carrying on board.

So before you head out, get those lifejackets on and make sure everyone’s sorted.

Wear it. Every trip.
Because lifejackets save lives.

Stay with us as we follow 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 the progress of this life saving change. We've been like a dog with a bone on this issue.......... (see what we did there?)

From 9 October lifejacket laws are changing across New Zealand.Our friends at Maritime New Zealand have put together hel...
25/09/2026

From 9 October lifejacket laws are changing across New Zealand.

Our friends at Maritime New Zealand have put together helpful information and FAQs at the link below.

Heading out on the water? Know the law change.

Find out all you need to know at the link below

And just like that - school holidays are here again! For many whānau that means more time at the beach, the pool, the ri...
25/09/2026

And just like that - school holidays are here again! For many whānau that means more time at the beach, the pool, the river or out on the boat over the next couple of weeks.

It’s a great time to think about whether your tamariki have the skills they need to stay safer in and around water.

Water Skills for Life is about much more than learning to swim. It helps young people build the practical skills, knowledge and confidence to make safer decisions around water - from floating and survival skills to recognising hazards and knowing their limits. Aotearoa is a water nation and we're doing all we can to equip our young people with the skills to say safe in, on and around water.

Has your child taken part in a Water Skills for Life programme? We'd love to hear about it!

Wherever your holidays take you:

🌊 Check the conditions before getting in.
👀 Keep children within sight and reach.
🛟 Wear a lifejacket when boating or paddling.
💦 Practise floating, treading water and getting back to safety.
🧠 Know your limits - and teach kids that if in doubt, stay out!

Enjoy the holidays, have fun around the water, and help give our young people the skills to enjoy it safely. Good luck parents! 😅

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