9 February, 2025 - On Saturday 7 December Coastguard Riverton, one of our longest-standing units, honoured the service of volunteers. Reuben Haigh (3 years), Emma Carle (3 years), Bru Parker (15 years), and Barry Anderson (20 years) were celebrated. The tight-knit community flexed its muscles, with volunteers across two and three generations attending.
Noel (52 years) and Barry (20 years) Anderson (both Skippers) celebrated 72 years of combined service for Riverton. Riverton is a small community where everyone knows and supports each other. Many Coastguard Riverton volunteers also give their time to other community volunteer organisations. These three factors make the unit a very efficient, competent, professional search and rescue team.
Fun fact: Riverton is one of New Zealand’s oldest towns – established in 1836.
Coastguard Riverton volunteers have been busy building infrastructure over the last 18 months with a new boat shed, ramp, tractor, and boat. These projects will come to fruition with a new 10m Naiad due for completion in April this year and a grand opening to be announced in May or June. This represents a considerable step up in capability for the Riverton team, who operate on a river, shallow estuary, bar crossing, and the furious Foveaux Strait stretching down to the Southern tip of Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Operating in this part of the world is challenging. On Christmas Day 2024, volunteers were activated for an overturned dinghy near Big River. The location was very, very isolated. The crew showed exceptional dedication and professionalism to support the Rescue Helicopter winching two men from the water, righting the capsized vessel, retrieving all their belongings, and then towing the dinghy back to Riverton to return it to the rescued people. Earlier in 2024 Coastguard Riverton volunteers responded to a vessel capsize on the Riverton bar that plunged five people into frigid waters. Volunteers from Coastguard Bluff, Queenstown, Sumner, and Dunedin, along with Police, Rescue Helicopter, Ambulance, and LandSAR also supported the search and rescue. The volunteer response was admirable, saving two people and recovering three people. Again, I would like to convey our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the volunteers involved in such a challenging situation.
A big thank you to Coastguard Riverton volunteers for all the great work they have done for the community!
