A stubborn attitude to safety by men is the main cause of our near record drowning toll.
So far, 90 people have drowned this year —the same as last year— the highest number recorded since 2011, when there were 91 drowning deaths.
In the last few days, one man died after his canoe capsized on a Christchurch lake on Christmas Day, while two people drowned in Auckland and the far North on Boxing Day.
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Daniel Gerrard says fatalities are usually older men not wearing life jackets or being on or in the water alone.
He says they often underestimate the conditions and overestimate their knowledge and expertise.
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