Saving Lives at Sea : Papakura Coastguard

For those living around the South Auckland estuaries ‘being on the water’ is a way of life.  Many would be familiar with the saying; “A rough day at sea is better than any day in the office”, but then begs the question what if the day is truly rough and everything really does turn pear?

To which, is the purpose of Papakura Voluntary Coastguard, an organisation that provides emergency services for people in trouble on the water, in particular on the Manukau Harbour and its environs.

It is one of three coastguard units based in the Manukau Harbour, providing search and rescue operations and keeping New Zealanders safe at sea.

A typical weekend callout could see a jetski with engine issues, a call for the team to assist a broken down vessel, or as happened recently, recover a small unmanned 2.5m dinghy drifting around the Papakura Channel.

With our sponsorship of Papakura Coastguard, RRT can contribute to the wider community, be it through a response to civil defense, training of rescue personnel, and help bring about a safe and enjoyable environment in the area.

Like RRT, Papakura Coastguard responds and assists to the community in times of need.