An Otumoetai teenager is attempting to put her demons behind her to help educate the public on the unforgiving nature of rips after being swept out to sea.

Kaya Te Miha's evening on November 11 took a turn for the worse when her and three friends were all caught in a strong rip off Mount Maunganui's Main Beach, resulting in the quartet needing to be rescued by a group of surfers.

Kaya Te Miha and Tyne McCarthy at Mount Maunganui's Main Beach. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

In the process, the 17-year-old needed CPR to bring her back to life and was taken to Tauranga Hospital for observation.

Since then she has kept quiet and away from the beach in order to bury any memories of the night – up until now given the recent rise in rescues caused by rips.

'I just want people to realise the state of the waters at the Mount as it is very dangerous, even when it doesn't seem like it is.”

Back in November, Kaya along with Erani Te Apaku, 17, Danielle Te Apaku, 16 and Tyne McCarthy, 16 had just finished a walk up the Mount when they decided to cool off with a swim at about 8pm.

'We thought it's good weather, and the beach was pretty calm so we just decided to go for a swim. I didn't want to go in at first, I wanted to go home but I felt I should go in after them [her friends].

A short time later Danielle got caught in a rip, quickly drifting offshore, with Erani and Tyne both attempting to save her – before also being caught in the rip.

Swimming outside the rip, Kaya managed to reach Erani who by this stage was exhausted and struggling to stay afloat.

'She was crying and panicking, she looked really scared. She managed to keep herself afloat but was just full of panic.”

Tirelessly pulling her to shore Kaya gave Danielle one last push towards the beach but in the process pushing herself back into the rip.

Despite this Kaya continued attempts to swim out of the rip to Tyne, and help rescue him.

But as she drifted further away from the empty beach her hope of being rescued began to wane.

'I tried to swim to them [Tyne and Erani], but the rip was too strong. I had no energy and was kind of giving up at the time.

'I definitely was exhausted so it was hard enough to keep my head above the water.”

But with the help of four surfers, who spotted the trio in trouble, they were eventually rescued and dragged to shore – Kaya slipping out of consciousness in the process.

'We were drifting out when I just blacked out and then next thing I remember was waking up in the back of the ambulance.

Kaya has been told by her friends she was unconscious on the beach and the girl who rescued her performed CPR on until St John arrived – ultimately saving her life.

The teenagers are yet to say thank you to the surfers, but want them to know are they grateful for their lifesaving actions.

Speaking to SunLive while stepping foot on the beach for the first time since the rescue, Kaya admits from a possible four deaths to no one dying at all, it was a close shot and a true Christmas miracle.

She says they all underestimated the power the sea holds and wants all beachgoers to take extreme care when getting in the water this summer.

'At the time the water was so calm, it wasn't rough at all. We kind of through it was fine and were swimming close to shore.

'I just don't want to come back and remember the feeling [of drowning] and then to see all these people and think it could happen to anyone.”