Coastguard Tautiaki Moana is calling on New Zealanders to take the plunge this June, with The Big Swim returning for its third consecutive year. The fundraising challenge exists to support volunteer crews posted at locations throughout the country who respond to marine emergencies at all hours, across every kind of waterway.
The concept is simple enough. Participants set their own distance target for the month, whether that means completing laps at the local pool or tackling a stretch of open water, then collect sponsorship from friends, family, and workmates. Every dollar raised goes to Coastguard Tautiaki Moana and the roughly 2,000 volunteers who form its backbone, answering calls for help on oceans, lakes, and rivers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Across the peak boating season from Labour Weekend 2025 through to Easter 2026, those volunteers attended 1,460 incidents and brought 3,668 people home safely.
The campaign has gained considerable ground in a short time. Last year's event attracted 2,581 swimmers who collectively covered 29,511km and raised $644,360 for Coastguard, nearly double what the inaugural event achieved in 2024. One of those participants was Auckland swimmer Louisa Orton, who completed 20km as a tribute to her late husband and as a personal acknowledgement of the volunteers who had tried to save him after he drowned.
Costguard CEO Carl McOnie says the pace of growth has caught the organisation off guard.
"What's been really special is seeing so many people, from first-time swimmers to seasoned pros, getting involved and helping raise vital funds to support our hardworking volunteers. Every dollar raised helps fuel and maintain our rescue vessels, supports essential equipment, and ensures our volunteers are trained and ready to respond when needed."
Public generosity underpins the Coastguard to a significant degree, with around 60 percent of its funding coming from community support. Events like The Big Swim are not peripheral to the service's operations but central to sustaining them.
