Two Christmas Day drownings have made for a horror start to the holiday season

Yesterday afternoon a person drowned while snorkelling at Kai Iwi Lakes north of Dargaville.

That came after the death of someone who had been crab fishing at Northland's Uretiti Beach.

The patch of coastline near Waipu is popular with swimmers, surfers, fishermen and especially crabbers.

Brent Cooper co-founded a group of about 12 volunteers, who drive a buggy along the beach handing out safety brochures to crabbers and urging them to wear lifejackets.

The group formed about four years ago after a wave of drownings in the area.

He says while locals know of the rip tides and other hazards, many of the out-of-towner crabbers don't.

Cooper says his volunteers spent Christmas with their families - but he plans to be back out patrolling today.