Coastguard Whakatāne

Whakatāne Coastguard is a volunteer run marine search and rescue service aimed at making Eastern Bay of Plenty waterways a safer place for boaties.

Whakatāne Coastguard has a rescue vessel “Whakatāne Rescue II”, which is manned by passionate, highly trained volunteers so you know that a call to the Coastguard will put you in good hands. The rescue crews’ prime activity is to save lives at sea. If a boat happens to be towed, all reasonable precautions will be taken to minimise any damage but the liability for any damage rests with the boat owner not the Coastguard.

The Communications Centre is based in the Whakatāne Coastguard Headquarters at The Heads, at the end of Muriwai Drive. The centre is manned 7 days a week, 365 days a year, between 0800 and 1800 hours. Between 1800 and 0800 hours overnight calls will be answered by Coastguard Northern Region in Auckland, or Coastguard Eastern Region in Mount Maunganui, so boaties have 24 hour coverage.

Information for Boaties

Whakatāne Coastguard encourages all boaties to call Coastguard on leaving and returning to port, also when moving position during the day.

1. 1. All vessels intending to depart or enter across the Thornton, Opotiki and Ohiwa bars are asked to advise their intention to do so prior to the crossing.
   2. Coastguard will log the call and monitor the vessel.
   3. Once safely across the bar the vessel reports its safe crossing.
   4. If no safe crossing report is received by Coastguard within 10 minutes, the vessel will be called on VHF 18 & 60 to confirm the safe crossing.
   5. If the safety of the vessel cannot be confirmed an “all stations” call will be made and the matter will be referred to a Marine SAR Advisor and the Police.
   6. Boat owners using the Thornton, Opotiki and Ohiwa bars are encouraged to adopt this practice.