Kapiti Coast surfers break lockdown rules
Police were called to a group of surfers on the Ka¯ piti Coast yesterday, even as the country remains in coronavirus lockdown.
Yesterday morning a member of the public spotted a surfer – one of a small group – who looked to be in distress on The Parade in Paeka¯ ka¯ riki.
A police spokeswoman said officers were called to the incident at 8.30am but no rescue was needed. Officers reminded the surfers, who were now out of the water, about the lockdown rules.
But the rules continue to be broken in the area – at 9.15am, a Stuff reporter saw two surfers in the water.
‘‘Police would remind people we are still operating under alert level four restrictions right now – so people should be staying home,’’ the spokeswoman said.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has made it clear that recreation and exercise under alert level four did not include swimming and waterbased activities.
However, there had been confusion in the past around whether or not surfing was allowed during the lockdown.
When the country moved to alert level four on March 26, Christchurch police gave information to surfers but did not give out any warnings or lay charges.
In Raglan, where the local boardriders’ club asked people not to surf, police were asking surfers how they got to the beach.
Sumner surfer Josh NewsomeWhite, 30, previously told Stuff he
Josh Newsome-White surfer
and his mates would not be hitting the beaches during the lockdown period.
‘‘It’s so easy to do something where you can hurt yourself [while surfing] and that means you’re just bringing other people again into that bubble. Just stay at home.’’
Before level four restrictions were put in place, Coastguard New Zealand told people not to go out on the water during lockdown.
Coastguard New Zealand chief executive Callum Gillespie said it had received a lot of calls from the public about going out on the water during lockdown. ‘‘The answer is no,’’ he said. ‘‘Should you get into difficulty, you will quickly want help from Coastguard volunteers and staff, requiring them to leave selfisolation and come together to help you.’’
‘‘Just stay at home.’’