"Our tamariki are particularly susceptible to strong currents, and with all the water we have seen moving about they can quickly be swept away.”
Oh the ever-present joys of being a parent. Those, here, who count themselves amongst the lucky know well how situational awareness is spiked and especially during those early baby/toddler years though not abating into the pre-teens nor beyond. Of course, levels of protection can, and certainly should, be debated. Is a helmet necessary for every wheel’d activity, for example?
Or at what age is paddling out alone ok?
Well, New Zealand parents have found themselves on the sharp end of a frustrated surf lifesaving chief executive, this holiday week, as their young children are being swept out into the wild surf en masse.
Extremely laissez-faire.
Matt Williams released an “urgent” plea to the folk, declaring that “watching your kids from shore is not enough.” “Please don’t overestimate your ability or your children’s ability to cope in the conditions,” he continued. “They should be within an arm’s reach. Our tamariki are particularly susceptible to strong currents, and with all the water we have seen moving about they can quickly be swept away.”
Emphasizing his point, a story was shared about a seven-year-old boy who went for a little beach jog only to get caught up in some messy surf and carried three kilometers down the beach.
Yikes.
But a fun adventure for the little man?
Exciting and life affirming?
Also, will New Zealand’s next great surfer come from a longer leash from parents?
Something to ponder.
And in other beach activity related news, here is a three hour loop of the football scene in Top Gun: Maverick.
Enjoy.
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bravo, great spew…you saved a life! your own…and 17 others ’cause this HERE IS our lives too. best that there were no injuries to the other kooks and you had your way with them without tossing a fist. but your thumbs must be hurting…
Why is ok unless it relates to pidgin?
Above the line moderation!!
Lame.
Word…
(and now to my actual comment)
Flaming shitbags.
And in particular, the possibility of leaving flaming shitbags on ELo’s doorstep, wherever he happens to be in the world.
If he was to be targeted at every tour stop (and at home too), it’d surely be a very worthy service to surfers and surfing.
If ELo finds himself in your locale, would you be prepared to accept (and hopefully complete) the challenge, and deliver him a flaming shitbag of your own ?
I think it’s something that may have to be done by many, out of duty to save surfing from him.
Maybe even drop them on the doorsteps of anyone involved with the wsl office, for extra impact.
They’re always putting shit on surfing and surfers, so it’s about time they got some back…
You can also shit down someone’s chimney, like local pro skater Eric J used to do to his sponsor reps house. Good fun.
Oh my, we are getting deep in the shit(ty). When is DHMF going to release this years Gritty’s?
Anybody still commenting wins an award.
Hah! Good memory. I pass the baton to you.
Oops, I dropped it.
It’s really endearing when the white colonizers throw in a native language word here and there to pander to the oppressed, so cute.
Te Reo is everywhere in nz. Mainstream broadcasting, radio, on the street. It might sound odd to others for the odd word to be dropped in here and there but very commonplace here for years.
It’s use is becoming more and more normalised. Many younger people are bilingual – it’s the old farts, like me, who are having to learn as much as we want to. It’s a good thing for the country.
Of course there is a heap of baggage that comes with it from both sides that will get worked through eventually, but positive overall.
Once were worriers
Waddaya mean, my little irukandji ?
No worries, maori words make council flats warmer.
I knew I shouldn’t have asked ….
whakaute!!