Raglan Surf Life Saving Club has recorded the busiest patrol season of any surf life saving club in New Zealand this year, responding to 306 incidents between July 1, 2025 and March 11, 2026.
The season included 93 lifesaving rescues at Ngarunui Beach, alongside 4,655 preventative actions, 36,743 safety interventions, 62 minor first aids, 10 major first aids and 11 searches.
Due to increasing visitor numbers and demand on the beach, volunteer lifeguards patrolled seven days a week from November through to March 20.
The club says the growing popularity of Raglan and its reputation as a surf destination continues to increase pressure on resources, equipment and volunteer patrol numbers.
Rescues this season involved not only swimmers, but also surfers, windsurfers and boaties, with lifeguards regularly assisting members of the public both in and out of the water.
The club was also awarded Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s “Rescue of the Month” following a critical rescue on December 14 involving a young child in a remote non-patrolled area with limited access and no communications.
Club members celebrated the season over the weekend at the annual awards night, recognising the contribution of volunteer lifeguards who patrol Ngarunui Beach throughout summer.
Award recipients included:
Junior Lifeguard of the Year — Curtis Cosh
Intermediate Lifeguard of the Year — Abi Meyer
Senior Lifeguard of the Year — Lily Marlow
Lifeguard of the Year — Olivia Moroney Pearson
During the off-season, the club is also beginning work on a major extension to its clubrooms, including a new observation tower and training room.
The previous tower was lost to erosion in 2022, prompting several years of planning and fundraising to deliver a replacement facility.
The new tower will be attached to the clubrooms and provide views across the coastline from Manu Bay to the harbour entrance, improving visibility and emergency response capability.
The facility will also include upgraded communications equipment linking lifeguards directly with SurfCom in Auckland, beach patrols and rescue craft.
The club thanked supporters including Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Raglan Community Trust, Gallagher Charitable Trust, the Glenice and John Gallagher Foundation, Lion Foundation and the Raglan Harbour View Hotel for supporting the project.
The club says temporary stop/go traffic management will be in place at times over the coming months to allow access for concrete trucks and construction deliveries, with motorists asked to drive carefully and follow signage near the surf club.
