The Karekare Lifesaving Surf club is still a voluntary service provided to the public by locals and those with a keen attachment to Karekare and its lifesaving history. The Club started in 1935 after a sea plane rescue in Karekare. A group from the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club, who were present at the plane rescue asked the Piha Surf Club for advice, and started to form the Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club. In the mid 1930's teaching and training of new members occurred, and they competed in surf carnivals. A local family allowed the Surf Club to use their tennis changing sheds and some rooms at the base of the Watchman as the surf clubhouse.

In 1939, the war brought changes, and the surf lifesavers went off to war in groups to do their duty. The previous clubhouse had already burnt down, but the club bus was parked permanently in Karekare, without wheels, in case the Japanese invaded via the coast. The next clubhouse was built on a rock in the centre of the beach, all that remains is now almost covered by moving sand dunes.

The current clubhouse opened in 1982 and has space for 30 bunk beds, with areas to store rescue boats and equipment, and all the modern first aid apparatus such as oxygen and defibrillators, to give fast medical attention in the quickest time possible.

Karekare is the most dangerous place in New Zealand to swim. This has lead to the Karekare club being awarded to most meritorious rescue awards of any club in New Zealand. The club also prides itself on having very high patrolling standards, constantly having the highest preventative rescue statistics relative to the number of people that use the beach.

Bob Harvey, our local mayor, and a past former club captain at Karekare, states in his book " Rolling Thunder " that since 1935 around 5,000 people have been rescued at Karekare beach.
by Julia Moore and Steve Pye