"I was scared for my life"
Our CEO Megan Main shares her story about how she overcame a deep fear to build a lifelong love of the water.
I was five years old when I had a terrifying experience in the water. It’s a day I’ll never forget.
I grew up in Melbourne. We lived on the Bay side, around 15km from the city in a suburb called Beaumaris. Like most Melbourne kids, I spent my summers at the beach. I lived in the water.
We would spend all day at the beach. We’d get there first thing in the morning, go home for a quick sandwich and couldn’t wait to get back in the water. I’d spend hours in the shallow water looking for fish, shells and exploring.
On a hot afternoon in January our family decided to take a trip to our local swimming pool, instead of heading to the beach. As usual, my older brother and I were so excited to get into the water.
A young Megan Main with her Dad
At the pool I was having a great time playing with my friends. My parents were by the pool, chatting.
Suddenly I freaked out. I couldn’t touch the bottom. I panicked. I felt myself going down. My Dad saw me and quickly jumped in the pool and pulled me to the side.
He was hugging me. I was crying. That day stayed with me for a long time. It showed even though I thought I was a confident swimmer, I could suddenly be out of my depth.
My parents didn’t expect me to get in trouble in a pool because I could swim fine. I just got scared and forgot how to swim.
A summer to forget
It has been an awful summer for drownings across Aotearoa. From 4pm Christmas Eve to 6am January 5, there were 15 preventable drownings around New Zealand.
The last time that 15 people drowned during the holiday period was almost 40 years ago in 1982/83. My heart goes out to all those families.
And to the Surf Lifesaving and Coastguard New Zealand volunteers who are out there every day on our coastlines and do everything they can to help people in trouble.
As a country we must change this. We all collectively need to make better decisions around the water.
Developing Water Skills for Life
Over the years I’ve overcome my fear of deep water. My parents were both surf-life savers when they were younger. They had a deep respect for the water, something which we were always taught as kids.
My brother and I had swimming lessons when we were very young. Those water skills set me up for life. I’m proud of the important role ACC plays in water safety.
We’re focused on prevention and we are also here for recovery and care if things go wrong.
We partner with Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) and invest in injury prevention programmes around the water.
Megan on her boogieboard as a youngster
Through ‘ACC Water Skills for Life’ – the national standard for aquatic education in New Zealand primary schools – we teach Kiwi kids lifelong water safety and survival skills.
It is linked to the national education curriculum and gives children in years 1 to 8 the skills and knowledge they need to assess risk and make smart decisions around water.
Since 2017 almost 800,000 tamariki in Aotearoa have participated in ACC Water Skills for Life.
Our funding for this programme is focused on decile 1-3 schools to improve access to Kiwi kids, regardless of their background.
WSNZ works with schools across Aotearoa to provide Water Skills for Life training by instructors, or by training school teachers to deliver the programme.
Any drowning is a devastating and preventable event. I encourage all parents and caregivers to ensure their kids complete ACC Water Skills for Life. It could save their life.
Sharing our passion for the water
Growing up in countries like New Zealand or Australia, our kids are going to be in and around the water – whether it’s at the beach, in rivers, lakes or pools. It’s part of our life.
I have followed my parents’ lead, teaching my kids to respect the water and to develop their confidence in and around the water.
My kids had swimming and water safety lessons when they were young. When I see my kids out in the surf, it’s great to see them having fun and totally free.
They are self-sufficient. They are confident. They are independent. As a parent it’s a lovely thing to watch, and to share that love of the water as a family.
I find the summer holidays are a nice time to reflect. I do think back to that moment when I was a frightened five-year-old in the local swimming pool. I was scared for my life.
Megan's family learning to surf
It’s part of my story but it doesn’t define me.
My story is a lifelong love of the water. It’s about making the most of our beautiful country. It’s about giving my kids the skills they need so we can share that love as a family.
ACC Water Skills for Life
- In 2020, ACC helped over 200,000 children learn critical water safety skills through ACC Water Skills for Life.
- Since July 2017 there have been 757,242 tamariki participate in the programme.
- The data shows males are four times more likely than females to drown in New Zealand, making up 84 percent of total drownings.
- Children aged from 5 to 13 can participate in Water Skills for Life training, which is taught either at school or at a local pool by a school teacher or swim instructor.
- It teaches children the skills for life-long water safety, to keep themselves safe and keep an eye on their mates in, on and around the water.
- ACC is the main partner with Water Safety New Zealand for ACC Water Skills for Life.
