Latest news with #rip currents
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
How to Stay Safe and Swim Smart at Exmouth Beach
With wall-to-wall sunshine forecast over the coming days, many are expected to flock to the local beaches to soak up the best of the summer weather. This season, the RNLI is urging anyone visiting the coast to follow its beach safety advice and to clue up on the signs of rip currents. With more than 60 per cent of RNLI lifeguard incidents involving rip currents and, in particular, with the estuary tides in Exmouth causing strong undercurrents, it is important to be looking out for potential dangers. Follow the RNLI's advice when swimming in the sea in ExmouthExmouth beach is known for especially powerful rip currents, which become hazardous during the outgoing tides that flow east toward Budleigh. Incoming tides can also push currents west toward Exeter, sometimes cutting off the access between Orcombe Point and Sandy Bay. In 2024, the RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards across the south west responded to a total of 8,367 incidents, saving 82 lives and assisting 9,178 people. The majority of emergencies involved boats suffering mechanical failures and paddleboarders or kayakers caught off guard by the changing sea conditions. Rip currents remain a leading cause of accidental drowning, making awareness and precaution essential for beachgoers. What is a rip current? A riptide is a strong, narrow current that flows away from the beach pulling people out to sea with it. Rips are especially powerful in larger surf but are also found around river mouths and estuaries. Being caught in a rip can be a frightening experience but there are things you can do to avoid them. How to spot and avoid a rip current It can be tricky to spot a rip current, but the most obvious sign is a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface. Look for areas where there is a lot of foam, seaweed, or debris moving away from the shore. The best way to avoid rips is to choose a lifeguarded beach and always swim between the red and yellow flags. What to do if you get caught in a rip - If you ever find yourself in a rip current, try to stay calm and don't attempt to swim against it or you'll get exhausted. - If you're able, swim parallel to the shoreline until you're free of the rip and then head back to the beach. - If you're unable to swim and are getting tired, let the current carry you out to sea until you reach the point where it weakens. - Always raise your hand and shout for help. Alert the lifeguard by putting your fist in the air. This is an international distress signal and should be used alongside shouting for help. - If you see anyone else in trouble, alert the lifeguards or call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. General advice from the RNLI states that before entering the water, people should inform their friends and family of their plans and always consult the local lifeguards for safety advice on that day. Conditions can change daily, and even hourly, so it is strongly recommended to check for any dangers and become familiar with local hazards. People are reminded that when visiting the coast, they should always choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, as this area is identified by lifeguards as the safest place to enter the water.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Cullerboats lifeboat team on track for busiest year
A lifeboat team says it is on track for its busiest year in living memory as months of good weather have encouraged large numbers of people to visit the area's Cullercoats, in North Tyneside, has responded to 41 call-outs since January, compared with 45 for the whole of crew volunteer Sarah Whitelaw said the year "started off busy and has continued that way".Call-outs often involve swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers getting caught out by rip currents and off-shore winds, while the recovery of broken-down vessels is another cause. "There've been years when we haven't had our first shout until March or April, but this year we had several in January," Ms Whitelaw said."One big factor is the weather has been good, so there were a lot of people on the beach before the lifeguard season started in May."We're not even in the summer holiday period yet and that tends to be when we have the most beach users." The team, which has about 30 volunteer members of boat and shore crew, covers an an area roughly stretching to Seaton Sluice on one side and Tynemouth Longsands on the efforts to publicise water safety messages, Ms Whitelaw says rip currents and off-shore winds can catch people by brothers survived rip current surf terror"It can be calm within the bay and then all of a sudden they get beyond the piers and the wind catches them where they're no longer sheltered by the cliffs," she said."They're suddenly blown off-shore." Tips to stay safe Rip currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to seaThey can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI saysIf caught, do not try to swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its gripFollow the RNLI's five-step "Float to Live" protocolsAdditional advice includes carrying a phone in a waterproof pouch and using the SafeTtrx app, which would quickly enable the RNLI to locate those in trouble Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
