Whangaruru Volunteer Coastguard

30/12/2025

Carol Armitage a few photos from the search and rescue exercise this morning.

30/12/2025

Quite the swell running in after yesterdays low passing over!

30/12/2025

Awesome day on the 🌊, running a Sarex in the harbour & Helena Bay with the Lion Foundation Rescue crew. Big shout out to The Beach Boys for standing in as our rescue targets, Susie Coyle for an amazing bacon & egg pie and thoughts with James our crewman who took a knock. Chops.

14/04/2025

The Whangaruru Coastguard acknowledges with sadness the passing of Honeri (Hone) Rapata.

We were privileged to have Mr. Rapata bless our new vessel upon its arrival. His presence, guidance, and mana left a lasting impression on our team.

We extend our condolences to all who mourn his loss.

Moe mai rā, e te rangatira.

Te tai rā
Te tai rā,
Te tai e pari ana ki hea?
E pari ana ki a rātou mā kua ngaro atu i te ao, ko riro atu ki te pō.

Pururu mai ana te kohu e iri ana ki runga o Hirakimata, Te Hauturu o Toi, Matanui, Onekāinga, Huruiki me Monoa. Kua tauatia ngā maunga whakahī a Rākaumangamanga, a Manaia.
E auē, kino nei ngā tai o Te Ākau Roa o Ngātiwai, i te tupuna nei a Honeri Rapata kua riro atu nei.

Ko Hone Rapata he kaumatua rangatira nō Ngātiwai nui tonu.
He mokopuna nā Rapata Ngātiwai, he tama nā Wiremu Kiingi Rapata.
Ko tana whakapapa e kōtuitui ana i te whānuitanga, i te whāroatanga o Ngātiwai.

He tarahiti a Hone i runga i te Poari o Ngātiwai, he kaumatua ārahi i ngā hapū o Ngātiwai, ka mutu he pou nō tōna whānau.

Tēnei a Ngātiwai e tangi kino nei.

With heavy hearts, we acknowledge the passing of our beloved rangatira Honeri Rapata.

Uncle Hone will return to his home in Whangaruru this evening, where he will lie in state with his immediate whānau until Monday.

We will post further details once they are confirmed by his whānau tomorrow.

As the Oakura Marae Trustee on the Ngātiwai Trust Board, Uncle Hone served with an unwavering commitment to Ngātiwai. He was a pillar of strength and wisdom and served his hapū and iwi with love, dignity, and humility.

We extend our deepest aroha and condolences to Aunty Daphne, their children, mokopuna and the wider Rapata whānau during this time of great loss.

20/11/2024

Welcome aboard skipper! Nathalie LeBlanc our unit’s new President. Launch and retrieve practice from the new shed last night at low tide. Testing out the new cradle winch setup. Also an opportunity for the crew to congratulate Netti Page, the unit’s volunteer of year 2024!

30/10/2024

Fantastic day on the water today participating in the Bay of Islands multi-agency SAREX. Whangaruru bought two crews north in Kokako Rescue & Whangaruru Rescue. Navy vessel Te Kaha led as on-scene command for the day, with multiple casualties in the water, Northland Air Patrol doing their awesome spotting and the Northland CRV's in close quarters..

Our Whangaruru crew performed so well - not only dealing with the extra stress of the search scenarios unfolding and multiple comms channels - progressing their personal skills; Justin O'Conner running great comms & navigation Netti Page on the helm in some seriously testing conditions. Toom on the local knowledge and lookout. Nat & Anita rolling with inexperienced crew from other units. Such a good learning opportunity for all involved.

What really stood out today though was the first real use of two new pieces of kit aboard Tautahi; our new marine comms systems from IMCS - supplied & fitted by Owl Optics in Whangarei - and the gyro stabilised binoculars from Fujinon. Both absolute game changers. The person who needs a big shout out is Carol Armitage for the amazing mahi she put in to fund raise for these awesome pieces of kit earlier in the year and of course to the funding bodies that so generously paid for them. They worked an absolute treat!

Thanks as always to our crews for taking the time off to train & volunteer - their employers & whanau for enabling that to happen.

We've got your back, but stay safe out there.
Wear a lifejacket!