A Fijian man is among 10 people who have drowned so far this holiday period.
Anare Roqica Nayacatoga, the cousin of New Zealand sevens star Lote Raikabula, drowned while diving for mussels at Wellington's Seatoun Beach on Monday.
Mr Nayacatoga, 27, had been living in New Zealand for two-and-a-half years. His body was found yesterday.
The drownings have promoted a call from Water Safety New Zealand for people to know their limits in the water.
General manager Matt Claridge said drownings in January were "inevitable" because far more people than usual were in or on the water.
"We're always wary this time of year," he said.
"We just encourage people to play it safe around the water while still having fun."
Everyone - whether they were boating, swimming, jetskiing or fishing - needed to know their limits, Mr Claridge said.
"That means being aware of their skill level and knowledge, and staying within those limits."
The drowning toll equals last year but is well up on the five-year average of six. The period is the same as that for the road toll - from 4pm on Christmas Eve to 6am on January 5 and as at 4pm today, 11 people had died on the roads, compared with 10 in the water.
Another recent drowning death was that of a woman in her 70s, whose body was found floating in a west Auckland river yesterday. Police believe she may have slipped into the river when she went out for a walk.