Log your trip this Anniversary Weekend with Coastguard

With the Anniversary Weekend weather forecast looking hot and sunny across much of the country, Coastguard expects many boaties in Auckland, Northland and Nelson to get out on the big blue. However, given the alarming drowning and incident rate so far this summer, it's vital boaties play their part in ensuring everyone gets home safe at the end of the day. Between 24 December 2021 and January 10 2022 alone, Coastguard responded to 318 incidents, helping 769 people get home safe.

While Coastguard volunteers up and down New Zealand continue to keep a keen eye on what's happening on the water, we also need skippers to take responsibility by logging their trip details on the Coastguard app, via your local VHF Radio channel or by calling us on *500 from your mobile. You do not need to be a Coastguard member to log a trip report, it's a free service we offer to all boaties.

"Making a trip report is a simple way to ensure we know your plans should anything go wrong. If you are reported overdue, the simple information in a trip report can narrow a search area considerably, and save time searching for you and your family,” Coastguard Head of Operations Rob McCaw said.

"Alongside having lifejackets onboard for everyone, taking two forms of water-proof communication and checking the marine weather, make logging a trip report part of your preparation before you push off from the ramp."

Critical information for a trip report:

The name and VHF Call Sign of your boat
Point of departure
Destination, route and estimated time of arrival (ETA)
Number of people on board (POB).

You can still log a Trip Report if you don’t have a callsign, but it does make it much easier if you do.

For boaties crossing a bar, a specific bar-crossing service is available and logging a crossing report is just as easy as a trip report. The key differences are this can only be done by dialing *500 or on VHF radio. Logging a bar-crossing report means a ‘watch’ is set on your crossing and a failure to close out the report will see rescue services immediately activated. This service is free to the boating public and saves lives every year with a recent rescue on the Raglan bar being the most recent example. Watch our video here.

If you need to scrub up on your skills, find your nearest boating course at - https://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/

Find our full boaties’ checklist and a range of how-to guides at - https://www.boatiesbestmate.nz/

Coastguard app – your best mate on the water

If you use the Coastguard app to log your trip report, you can also take advantage of the other features of the app this weekend. This includes nowcasting current marine conditions at your favourite spot and long-range forecasts for wind, weather, swell and tides.

Download the app here on the App Store or get it on Google Play.