Surf lifeguards are warning people to take extra care in the water as a cyclone swell creates big waves and rips along the Western Bay of Plenty coastline.

Swells peaked at 6metres yesterday according to the Port of Tauranga A-beacon, which this morning showed the maximum wave height at 2.9 metres.

A surfer tackles big swells at Mount Maunganui beach today. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

Large swells are rolling in at beaches across the Western Bay of Plenty.

For the last 24 hours waves have been scouring out the swimming zone along the ocean beach creating new hazards for swimmers by digging holes, and creating new rip channels.

'With the big swell it is going to cause a whole lot more holes and rips, different currents and stuff,” says Surf Life Saving NZ regional programme services manager Mike Lord.

'The main thing for the public to know is to swim between the flags - the areas that are going to be watched.

'And just be really cautious. Never leave kids alone. And make sure you have the proper equipment, leashes on body boards and things like that.”

Lifeguards rescued four surfers who could not handle the conditions at Mount Maunganui Main Beach yesterday, and warned off many others says head lifeguard Kent Jarman.

'Lots of surfers were getting caught out, it was just getting bigger and bigger, a lot of them were well outside their comfort zone,” says Kent.

One surfer who got into trouble after breaking his board leash was supported by a boogie boarder until life guards got to him, says Kent.

Another needed help after jumping in off the blowhole and being unable to make it back to the rocks at Leisure Island.

The rip pumping along the western side of Moturiki Island was also working well.

'We headed a lot of people off at the pass. There were people turning up at the beach with boogie boards and no fins, we just told them ‘don't even think about it unless you are a competent surfer.”

The swell has left a new hole in the middle of the Main Beach, and has started new rips at Tay Street, which Kent says till now has been the safest section of the Ocean Beach.

'Just be aware the beach has probably changed from what it was a few days ago, and people going there in the next few days should look out for rips and holes.”

The main advice is to swim in the patrolled flagged areas, especially in the next couple of days.

The centre of the cyclone remnant responsible for the swell is today falling away past East Cape, bringing offshore winds in its tail that will soon flatten the swell out.

Mount Maunganui beach from Leisure Island today.

Wave heights averaged 4metres along the coastline yesterday.