KNYSNA NEWS - When it comes to water activities, vigilance and caution should always be top priority, but during springtide extra care should be taken, says the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), with swimmers and shoreline anglers most at risk.

Springtide happens twice a month, at full moon and at new moon, when a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide cause stronger than normal rip currents. 

It starts a few days leading up to the full moon or new moon, peaks on the day of the full moon or new moon and lasts for a few days after the full moon or new moon. 

There are two high and low tides each every day.

Rip currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells and sea currents retreat back into the sea and this is achieved in rip currents (a river of water retreating through the incoming swells back out into the sea).

Two types of rip currents

• Permanent rip currents, found alongside islands, rocky outcrops jutting into the sea, at river-mouths, in between reefs and alongside harbour walls and piers, are found constantly occurring in the same place allowing the water reaching the shoreline to retreat back into the sea in the permanent rip currents.

• Temporary rip currents, found along the shoreline, are forever changing their position and unpredictable, because they can form suddenly at different places along the shorefront throughout the day.

As mentioned, rip currents, which always pose a danger to bathers, are most dangerous during springtide. 

Bathers can get swept out to sea while swimming or even just wading in shallow water along the beachfront.

What to do if caught in a rip

• Don't panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water (moving your arms and legs in circular movements).

• Don't don’t try to swim against the current as it will only cause you exhaustion and let the current sweep you out to sea.

• At your first opportunity swim parallel to the beachfront until you are free of the rip current and then use the incoming waves to get back to shore. While this is happening scream for help and wave to alert people on the beach to raise the alarm.

Anglers beware

• Fishing along the shoreline, particularly along rocks on the shoreline, you are at greatest risk during the springtide where incoming waves during the high tides engulf higher than normal over rocks.

• Anglers should not turn their back to the sea and should be vigilant and cautious of the wave action at all times while fishing.

Watercraft safety

• Boaters, paddlers, sail boarders and anyone launching any kind of craft onto water should wear their lifejackets at all times while on water.

• Carry easily accessible safety equipment – red distress flares, communications cellphone or VHF radio with fully charged batteries in watertight plastic sleeves, a waterproof torch, highly visible neon coloured clothing, a referee whistle worn around the neck, and let a responsible person know your time of departure, your exact intended route and your estimated return time, and check in with the responsible person on your safe return. 

If you are overdue the responsible person should raise the alarm without hesitation.

• Download the free cellphone app NSRI RSA SafeTrx, which allows a user to programme their route into the app and in an emergency alert sea rescue authorities who can determine the exact position of the user in an emergency.

Essential safety tips

• Save the local sea rescue emergency phone number on your phone.

• Swim at beaches when lifeguards are on duty: listen to their advice and talk to them about safety on the beach you are visiting. They are the experts on that beach. If lifeguards are not on duty do not swim.

• Swim between the lifeguards’ flags, and be sure to teach your children to do so too. Lifeguards watch swimmers very carefully between the flags – just wave an arm if you need help.

• Don’t drink and drown: alcohol and water do not mix, so never drink and swim.

• Don’t swim alone: always swim with a buddy, ensuring there is someone who can call for help if you need it.

• Adult supervision and barriers to water are vital.

• Adults supervising children in or near water must be able to swim, especially where there are no lifeguards on duty (avoid this, however). Children should not be able to get through or over barriers such as pool fences to water.

• Know how to survive rip currents: if you swim between the lifeguard flags they will make sure you are safe and well away from rip currents. If for some reason this is not possible, do not swim. Educate yourself about rip currents, there is plenty of educational material on www.nsri.org.za/2017/01/beware-of-rip-currents, including videos of what rip currents look like.

• Don’t attempt a rescue yourself: call a lifeguard or the NSRI by dialling 112 from your cellphone, then try to throw something that floats to the person in difficulty. A ball, a foam board and so on.

•.Do not let children use floating objects, toys or tyre tubes at the beach or on dams: you can very quickly get blown away from the shore and as much fun as tubes and Styrofoam floats are it is easy to fall off them. If a child can’t swim and falls off in deep water they will drown.

• Do not be distracted by your cellphone/social media: while looking after children in or near water you need to focus on them and nothing else. It is not possible to concentrate on children in the water and be on your phone at the same time.

• Visit a beach that has lifeguards on duty – there is a reason for stating this twice!

Please remember that drowning is completely silent. Someone who is drowning will not shout for help. 

They will be vertical in the water (like they are trying to stand or climb stairs) and they will then silently slip under the water. 

Listening for children (or adults) in difficulty in the water is not good enough, you must be watching them very carefully. 

Make sure they are not getting in too deep or being moved by currents away from a safe area.

Also, be aware in these times of drought to keep storage containers behind barriers away from small children, especially children under four years old. 

They are not strong enough to lift themselves out of a bucket of water, so if they fall in they will drown. 

At home, make sure that your pool has a child-safe cover or net and an approved fence that has a double locking gate and can’t be climbed by small children.

ARTICLE: www.nsri.org.za

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