Cable Bay is one of many picturesque beaches in Doubtless Bay. Like most of our beaches it has a car park beside a mown grassy reserve, complete with several picnic tables and bins. An inviting setting for a family to stop, spend time relaxing, have lunch, and go for a swim.
On 2 January 2018 this is what a Dad and his 3 children did at Cable Bay reserve.  While swimming the children got caught in a rip and Dad drowned while attempting to rescue them.  The children were rescued by other beachgoers with the aid of boogie boards and a paddle board.

In the next few days the televised news reports of the incident ended with " Advice from Water Safety New Zealand is: Do not go in the water to assist a drowning person without a flotation aid, even if it is an empty drinks bottle".

The news was both shocking and sad for Pat Millar: "The man was whanau; and the advice about having a flotation aid gave me pause for thought.  Why don't we have flotation devices on beaches then? Over the next few days I moved from feelings of sadness and frustration to those of determined action! With Mike's help I got a large fishing float, wrote 'For Emergency' on it and hung it on the tree at Cable Bay.  Then I set about finding something more user friendly, telling friends this is operation flotation!  "Once a suitable device was sourced and ordered, I asked friends if they would like to contribute to the $212 cost of the flotation tube.  Within a few days more than $800 had been received along with lots of encouragement for the idea.  Then someone found the video showing how the tubes are used in Hawaii and the idea took flight".

A charitable trust was established and more funds raised.  Our CURRENT SITES page shows where over 20 flotation devices have been installed. 

In 2021 Surf Life Saving NZ commenced a project to create standards for Public Rescue Equipment and invited us to work with them.  This project was completed in 2023.  In 2024 we gifted the name Operation Flotation to SLSNZ and changed our name to Doubtless Bay Watch.​
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The trustees of Doubtless Bay Watch Charitable Trust are:
Pat Millar: Founder & Trustee 
(Retired, Mangonui)
 ​Joanna Cole: Secretary/Treasurer & Trustee 
(Chartered Accountant, Cable Bay)
 Michael Smith: Whanau & Trustee
(Climate Campaigner, Coopers Beach)