The rescue of boaties stranded on the Tairua-Pauanui bar has earned the Trust Waikato Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club two surf lifesaving awards.

The rescue saw the Pauanui club win Surf Life Saving New Zealand's rescue of the month for the Eastern Region along with the national BP Rescue of the Month for March.

Police and bystanders retrieving the aluminium boat which capsized while crossing the Tairua-Pauanui bar on March 28. Photo: Claire Fitzjames/Fairfax NZ

SLSNZ media and communications specialist Lisa Smith says senior lifeguard Martine Smith was contacted by police requesting assistance with an overturned vessel on the bar on the morning of March 28.

Three people were on-board the vessel when it overturned, but none of them were wearing lifejackets.

'Martine called her sister Allenie Smith and headed to the surf club, attempting to rally a team on the way. Upon arrival, one of her fellow lifeguards, Mark Gordon, was already there. He was checking out the surf on the bar when he saw the boat overturn,” says Lisa.

They were also joined by clubmates Jake Smith, Jamie McDell, Ryan Winckel and Spencer Raymond. Within moments, two boats which were launched.

Once at the scene the lifeguards found two of the three patients had already been rescued by Coastguard, but one was stranded on rocks.

'The lifeguards waited to be tasked by police and the rescue helicopter arrived on scene to assess the situation while police assessed a way out by land.

'In this time, Mark jumped in the water to assess the rock entries and exits available, should the patient need rescuing. He met the patient and gave him his lifejacket.”

It was determined the only way off the rocks was via an inflatable rescue boat and police tasked the lifeguards to assist.

Mark and Ryan then escorted the man safely off the rocks to a waiting IRB. He was then taken to a safe point where all patients were accounted for and assessed by ambulance staff.

'Lifeguards are trained to work closely around rocks in challenging conditions and this was a clear demonstration of those abilities.

'A thorough assessment showed there was no other way of getting the patients off the rocks and without the IRB being able to manoeuvre close to the rocks, the patient was at risk of being swept off,” says Lisa.

For the rescue the Trust Waikato Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club received a $500 Gift Card from BP to help with the financial costs of keeping communities safe in the water.