Water’s Edge Reflection in support of Safer Boating Week (16-23 October)

19 October 2015

WaterSafe Auckland (WAI) is gathering as planned today in support of Safer Boating Week. The aim to have local community, safety and council staff collectively raising awareness about the need for a greater level of water safety in order to try and bring down New Zealand’s high drowning toll.

“There’s been a change of plan” said Jonny Gritt, WAI CEO. The weekend’s news of the discovery of the MV Jubilee 40m down off the Coast of Canterbury was poignant enough a message without us walking off a plank. However, this morning realisation of another life lost with a body being recovered here in Auckland Harbour really brings the message home that we are losing too many people to the water.

“It feels to us that there is more than enough around us to remind people of the importance of water safety and the Safer Boating Week messages of Check, Prep and Know”. Jonny said.

We still want to send strong messages in support of our work and that of our partners, so are going to gather as planned. We will meet at 12 noon at the Ceremonial pier and we are going to still don our life jackets, but we will not jump. Instead we will simply say a few words and quietly contemplate for a moment.

WaterSafe Auckland also acknowledges the Rahui issued today by local Kaumatua that seeks to recognise the tragic loss of life by requesting non-access of the waters where the body was recovered as a mark of respect.

We will still be there on the pier and on and around the plank and we still want people to take away the simple message that wearing a life jacket could save their life.

“Last year 27 recreational boaties lost their lives and 18 of them could have been saved had they been wearing a lifejacket,” says WAI’s Chief Executive Jonny Gritt, “that’s too high a number.”

ENDS

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