This year's beach season is making some lifeguards nervous ahead of patrols kicking off from Saturday.
Unlike last year, they'll be working across Kiwi coastlines knowing that Covid-19 is in the community and alert level rules have meant some clubs may have fewer staff than usual.
Auckland lifeguards are facing a testing time in Alert Level 3, as before Covid there may have been up to 20 on patrol at busy beaches.
Now, there's a limit of just 10.
"If we can't manage our beach, or the beach that the lifeguards are patrolling on. We may have to close the beach," Northern Surf Lifesaving's James Lea told 1News.
They may apply for exemptions to allow for more lifeguards, which seems likely to be approved but other rules may be trickier.
"So with people, they know they can be one metre apart but for others they don't know they need to maintain that two metre distance," Lea said.
Lifeguards are wanting to reassure that even with Covid-19 precautions, they won't be holding back from rescuing those in trouble but are asking for some understanding from the public.
"If we go in and have to rescue, it's compromising our volunteer lifeguards' safety."
There's one popular beach that Kiwis should steer clear of this long weekend, with South Piha unpatrolled.
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