With patrol flags and a keen safety eye on swimmers, volunteer surf lifeguards are preparing to keep watch over Mount Maunganui's second busiest stretch of beach for the next fortnight.

From today, December 28, surf lifeguards will be visible at Tay St thanks to a successful bid by Surf Life Saving New Zealand for a flagged area before Tauranga City Council.

Omanu Surf Life Saving Club volunteer lifeguards Yvonne Jarvis and Jack Beaumont. Photo by Cameron Avery.

During this summer period volunteer lifeguards from the Mount Maunganui and Omanu services will be stationed at the beach – a halfway point for the two clubs.

SLSNZ Eastern Region manager Chris Emmett says Tay St has been an area in need of a patrol for quite some time and TCC's approval allows for a greater presence and a better management plan.

SLSNZ figures show between December 30, 2013, and January 1, 2014, there were two rescues at Tay St and six rescues the year before from December 29, 2012, and January 7, 2013.

'Tay St is the second most frequented stretch of beach during the New Year and post New Year period. We have 1500 on the beach and up to 1400 in the water each day.”

'For us, it's very much getting back to patrolling that area a little more regularly.”

Chris understands beachgoers will ultimately swim where they want, but SLSNZ encourages them to always swim at a patrolled beach and within the flagged area – the Tay St patrol giving them a further option.

Omanu Surf Life Saving Club patrol captain Mike Swan endorses the move, saying the SLSNZ data shows a prudent move to allocate some form of regular patrol on the stretch of coast.

'It's a reaction to the increased usage of the Tay St destination as a swimming beach. Its popularity has been increasing steadily over the last few years.”

Mike says the effects from the partial removal of the artificial reef in front of Tay St are yet to be seen, but in the past it has 'undoubtedly contributed” to holes and rips in the area.

'Once it's gone the effects of its removal remain to be seen, but beaches are forever changing. There will always be rips along the coast and whether or not the removal of the reef removes all dangers I find it highly unlikely.”

During the two-week window volunteer surf lifeguards can be seen patrolling the flagged area Monday to Friday from 10am-6pm.

Chris advises sometimes the flags may not be up, based on the conditions, and the clubs will resort back to roaming patrols from either end of the beach.

'If in doubt of the safest place to swim, always seek advice from the lifeguards; they're there to help you.”

Mount Maunganui and Omanu Beach volunteer lifeguards will also mirror the paid Regional Lifeguard Service during the weekends either side of the proposed two-week patrol period.