A young man slipped off rocks and almost drowned at Auckland's Muriwai beach in the latest of a spate of accidents at the popular fishing spot.
The 19-year-old fisherman fell into the water on Saturday morning but managed to save himself with the help of a friend.
Muriwai Lifeguard Service chairman Tim Jago says four people in recent weeks have slipped off Flat Rock and fallen either into the blowhole, or over the edge into the surf.
Mr Jago says there are warning signs up about the dangerously slippery rocks.
"What's at the heart of the problem is this algal growth, or several different types of algae, that are growing on the rocks.
"They seem to just be exploding in number or density in recent months, and they are literally like ice."
