Our Year 5 and 6 students participated in a beach education programme run by the Omanu Surf Club. Mr Webster is a life guard at Omanu and he volunteered our seniors for the club's first class of the season. Amongst the instructors was Roisin Boyle ( ex STM).

Part of the programme was held inside the clubrooms - where it is easy to see what the conditions are like and also to identify where the rips are starting to form.

Then it was time to get into the surf and it was joyous!

The water was cold when we first got in but with wetsuits on we soon got used to the temperatures.

Many of the activities were to build our confidence in the surf - it is amazing how powerful the waves can be.

We've been learning about the force of the wind in our science discovery this term. Nature is a wonderful and sometimes fearsome thing.

Thank you to all the adults who came into the water with us to keep us safe and together- without you we wouldn't be able to have such a thrilling day.

Thank you Quinn O'Connell for the fabulous action photos - so many good memories to look back on.

We are so lucky to live on the coast!