Surf Life Savers say this summer could be a record season for rescues, with the El Niño weather pattern is causing monster waves injuring many surfers and swimmers.
One of those who needed saving was Mike Smith.
At 41, Mr Smith is learning how to walk again.
"I just remember waking up underwater and I was quite confused at first because there were lots of bubbles around me," he says.
Mr Smith had just started his Christmas break at Pakiri Beach north of Auckland.
He's been surfing for almost three decades, but December 30 was no ordinary day on the water.
"I caught a few waves and was having a pretty good time and the next moment I'd gone head-first into the sand bar."
The father-of-two was carefully pulled out of the water by another surfer and swimmer.
He had no movement in his arms or legs and says he was petrified.
"My complete thought was I'm not going to be able to move again I'm going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life."
While he has fractured vertebrae and spinal cord compression, doctors have told him he's lucky not to be a tetraplegic.
Surf Life Savers and paramedics say they're seeing more injuries - from people been crushed by large waves which are a result of the El Niño weather pattern.
"It has been busy. We've done our fair share of rescues," Surf Life Saver Fraser Harvey says.
"Standing in the car-park the conditions can look fine - at the water's edge things can be quite different."
Last summer Surf Life Savers carried out more than 1300 rescues nationwide.
This season they're expecting there will be even more.
"Just don't take life for granted to be honest , there's a lot of dangers out there everywhere," Mr Smith says.
He says it'll be a few months before he's fully back on his feet, but keeps reminding himself it could have been so much worse.
Newshub.
