Near-miss spurs safety crusade
Northland’s Amber Anderton knows things could have turned out differently when her family’s boat capsized in Hokianga Harbour.
A year on from the accident, Anderton is volunteering with Coastguard New Zealand and helping promote water safety.
It was a late September afternoon. Daylight saving had just started when the family of four piled into their 5-metre aluminium boat, each donning lifejackets.
Anderton’s partner, Rob, wanted to test his scallop dredge while they did a spot of fishing. It was sunny and calm. The children – Mason, 6, and James, 5 – had fallen asleep.
Within seconds, the boat caught on something, flipped and sank. The boat filled with water and the family were trapped inside.
The children were all Anderton could think about. Looking up, she saw sunlight filter through a hole in the boat. The hatch was open – it was a way out. The couple pushed James out first, followed by Mason. Rob was next.
Anderton was the last one to get out but the anchor rope was covering the hole. She kept getting tangled. ‘‘I was trying to calm myself down and make a hole to get through the rope. I could hear the kids screaming outside of the boat.’’
Panic set in. That’s when she told herself to: ‘‘Just stop it! Your kids are out there, calm down. I’ve got to get out of here.’’
Calming herself, she managed to part the rope and swim out gasping for air as she broke the water’s surface.
There was a flurry of coughing and sputtering. Everyone was screaming but they were all OK. Anderton told everyone to ‘‘calm down’’. The tears stopped.
A small section of the boat was bobbing nearby. It was just enough to huddle the children on, while the couple clung to the sides, frightened of sinking it further.
Night was coming and the tide was about to change. It had been 40 minutes and they needed to do something. Anderton stayed with the children, while Rob swam the 3km to shore.
The children were cold, wanted to cuddle mum and were worried about sharks but Anderton said she just kept talking to them, reassuring them everything would be fine.
Eventually, Rob found help, called Coastguard New Zealand and they were rescued after three hours in the water. Anderton had mild hypothermia but was otherwise fine.
Not one would have made it out alive had they not been wearing their lifejackets, she said. The experience made her realise how quickly accidents could happen.
After the accident, Anderton struggled to sleep. But she has since joined Coastguard as a volunteer and is helping spread the word about keeping safe around the water. She has campaigned to bring the Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade campaign to small New Zealand towns like hers.
Anderton went on to name her newborn Harbour. The baby has accompanied her on safety talks across the North Island.
Every year, hundreds of Kiwis die in the water. They don’t need to. Stuff is working with Water Safety New Zealand to help Kiwi kids stay safe in summer. And we’d like your help. The money raised through the Water Skills For Life Givealittle page will protect dozens of Kiwi lives.