Heading to the beach for a cool dip is a summer staple for many New Zealanders, however the simple pleasure can become an inaccessible nightmare for wheelchair users.
One Hibiscus Coast resident has shared her gratitude online after Red Beach Surf Club volunteer lifeguards helped her swim for the first time in five years using their disability-friendly Beachwheels water bike.
Rachel Peterson, 46, first took to social media to ask about the bike on a community Facebook page and was blown away when the lifeguard on duty immediately volunteered his help.
"I didn’t even know about it to be honest, it was by chance that one of the sponsors of the surf club, Andrew Short, had done some work with me previously and told me about it," she said.
Peterson said she’s always been passionate about the beach but her body "has pain and limitations" that requires her to use a wheelchair.
"Swimming is one of the only exercises I can do... so I live at the pools but my kids and my heart love the beach.
"I will now look forward to long, beautiful days instead of wishing I could partake in a Kiwi summer," she said.
She added: "What you volunteers do to serve our community blows my mind!"
Peterson has been a disability advocate for more than 20 years and has "lobbied most of her life" to make beaches more accessible in Aotearoa.
"I used to think that it was putting people out or making it inconvenient for people to have to help, but I’ve actually realised that allowing people to help you can actually make their day really cool too," she said.
Peterson said she wasn’t really thinking when she put the post online, she just "wanted other people to know about it".
It’s since been liked by 500 people and inspired others to ask about the availability of the bike.
Red Beach Surf Club manager Debra Cairns said since Peterson’s post she’s already received three emails from other people saying it’s a "great idea" and asking about using the bike themselves.
"It's always here for the public to use… People who know we’ve got it have come and used it and someone even took it away for a week once and used it wherever they were," she said.
Cairns said the bike was gifted to the surf club "four or five years ago" by the Halberg Foundation, a charity advocating for physically disabled people to participate in sports and recreation.
"I think it's great for the disabled community that typically can’t get down onto the beach. As Rachel said, she loves the beach and loves the water but this one actually goes into the water so you can float on it," said Cairns.
She said it's "probably better" to use it while the patrols are on so that lifeguards can help people get up and down the steep ramp.
"I’ve also had one girl email me, who works as a physical therapist at a local rest home and would like to bring some elderly people down to use it."
Cairns said the club is looking at "even more options" to support people with mobility issues, with hopes for an accessibility mat all the way to the water in the future.
"You see at some beaches overseas... the councils have accessibility mats and I haven’t spoken to [anyone] yet, but we may be able to get something like that," she said.
Peterson previously worked on Auckland Council’s disability panel, which was involved in developing the first accessible beach mat in Auckland at Takapuna Beach in 2020.
"I’ve got huge aspirations of things I want to do and a lot of the things people need to know about," she said.
Peterson encouraged other disabled people to get down to Red Beach over the summer and give the bike a try.
"Please don’t be shy, nobody’s there trying to be 'bikini body' or anything like that. It’s local people… mums and dads and kids and grandparents.
"You are definitely not a hassle or putting anyone out, and the good folk that either work or volunteer down there… it actually helps them have a cool day knowing they took time out of their day to help someone else enjoy the beach."
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