The Coastguard received more than four and a half thousand calls in the northern region over Anniversary weekend.

Spokesman Ray Burge says it included 76 calls for help over the three days.

He says Sunday was the second busiest day on record with 179 trip reports in one hour, at peak a call every 20 seconds.

Mr Burge says their swapping old life jackets for new campaign has seen over two and a half thousand jackets traded so far over summer.

He says the last day for people to get new life jacket from them will be this Sunday at Coastguard’s Regional Quarters in Mechanics Bay.