Warning against dangerous pier jumping

A recent video on social media showing a surfer jumping off the New Brighton Pier has prompted a warning against copy-cat jumpers.

Christchurch City Council Parks Ranger Rodney Chambers said the video, posted to a surfing Facebook page last week, highlighted this incredibly dangerous act. Two deaths at the pier over the last ten years showed it was a hazardous area and Council and the Coroner strongly advise against the practice. 

Surfers are being warned against jumping off the New Brighton Pier.

“We were so disappointed to see this video on Facebook, showing a surfer jumping off the pier in front of a crowd, including young people. It is a dangerous thing to do, particularly in stormy conditions.

“Quite apart from it being quite shallow at low tide and therefore dangerous, the video also sets a bad example for younger, less experienced surfers trying to emulate the jump, who then may end up in serious difficulty.

"There is a chance of being washed back into the piles, becoming tangled in fishing lines or even hit by their own surf board.”

Mr Chambers said pier jumping by surfers had been reported to Council over the years and staff had discussed the matter with Police and local councillors on a number of occasions. Signs and information panels at the library end of the pier advise visitors that jumping off the pier is a dangerous activity.