Ours is an island nation.  Nearly all of us live close to the water. Many of us spend a large part of our life in, on, or beside the water.

From a young age our lives are defined by our association with water. As kids we love nothing better than an outing to the local pool or beach. And when we get older we swim lengths, sail boats, dive beneath the water’s surface or paddle across it. As a nation we take pride in the elite athletes who represent our country in competitive swimming.

But time spent in and on the water comes with a risk.

• Drowning is the third highest cause of unintentional death in New Zealand
• Every month over 100 people are rescued from our beaches
• Nearly one-fifth of all drowning victims are children.

Consider that one quarter of our children can’t swim 25 metres, tread water or even keep afloat, and it’s not hard to see the risks are too high.

At State we saw a need for help

Help so all our children have the opportunity to learn to swim, keep themselves safe in the water and enjoy the water sports available to them. Help to ensure surf lifesavers continue their vital work on our beaches. And help getting us all out there, adults and children alike, active and enjoying our beautiful beaches and pools.

It’s about reaching out to every New Zealander and saying “Come on in. The water’s fine”. We’re proudly getting behind three organisations

• Swimming New Zealand
• Surf Life Saving New Zealand
• New Zealand Ocean Swim Series along with its Ocean Kids Series.

Take the plunge - sign up for a State NZ Ocean Swim here! If you have any question you can email the team here.