Skip to content
  • Shop
  • SafeTrx
  • Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS
NSRI Logo
Donate now
Donate now Get involved
  • Newsroom
    • Rescues
  • About Us
    • Governance
    • Stakeholders
    • Values
    • Brand Ambassadors
    • Staff
    • Vacancies
    • History
    • Technology
  • Rescue
    • Base Finder
    • Infrastructure
    • In-House Training Academy
    • Lifeguards
  • Education
    • Water Safety Lessons in Schools
    • Pink Rescue Buoys
    • Emergency Signage
    • Rip Currents
    • Awareness Campaigns
    • Western Cape Drowning Prevention Framework
    • BravoBravo
  • Funding
    • Partnering with us
    • Sponsor a boat
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • Assets for sale
  • Library
    • Annual Reports
    • Sea Rescue Magazine
    • Ad Campaigns
    • Download Images and Artwork
    • Downloadable Posters
    • Policies
    • Guidelines
  • Donate to Win
    • NSRI Double Mitsubishi Draw
    • Win R50 000 each month
search
  • Newsroom
  • About Us
    • Brand Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Rescue
  • Education
  • Funding
  • Library
  • Donate to Win
  • SafeTrx
  • Contact Us
search
close
  • You are here: Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Spring tide warning

Spring tide warning

News / 20 December 2010

Bathers may be swept out to sea by the stronger than normal rip currents

Bathers may be swept out to sea by the stronger than normal rip currents

Spring Tide will peak on the morning of the 21st December and last up until about Christmas day.

We are appealing for special caution when bathing, paddling, boating, angling and surfing and urging people along the coast to be careful during the festive season.

The Spring tide puts bathers and anglers at most risk. (Bathers may be swept out to sea by the stronger than normal rip currents and anglers may be swept off rocks by the higher than normal high tide).

If you are caught in a rip current while bathing in the ocean you will be swept out to sea despite your best efforts to swim towards shore.

Don’t panic – stay afloat and tread water.

Don’t try to swim against the current it will only cause you to become exhausted.

Wave your arms for help – to activate people on shore to alert the lifeguards and to call the NSRI.

The further out to sea you are swept the slower the rip-current gets as it disperses itself into the ocean.

At your first opportunity swim parallel to the beach line in order to get yourself free of the rip.

Once free of the rip swim towards shore using the incoming waves to aid your progress.

FURTHER ADVICE:

The South African coastline experiences extremely strong rip-currents throughout the year and bathers should exercise caution at all times as rip-currents are the greatest cause of drowning accidents around our coastline.

The Spring Tide at new moon and again at full moon, twice every month, bring the strongest rip currents and bathers and anglers should exercise extreme caution.

Children between the ages of 9 and 14 are statistically at greatest risk to drowning accidents (according to statistics by the Medical Research Council) and children should have responsible adult supervision around water – swimming pools, dams, rivers, lagoons and the coast – at all times.

Boaters and paddlers should wear life-jackets at all times while on our waters, carry safety equipment and always let a responsible person know what time you are leaving, your exact route and your expected time of arrival. Stick to your route and check-in with the responsible person on your safe return.

SA Lifesaving are urging bathers to go to beaches only where and when lifeguards are on duty. Identify where the lifeguards are on the beach. Swim only between the safe swimming zones posted by lifeguards, using red and yellow flags, on the beach each day. Lifeguards will move the safe swimming zones regularly throughout the day (depending on where they detect the strongest rip-currents to be) and bathers should heed to the lifeguards requests to move to swim between these flags.

Don’t venture too deep into the water and children should have a responsible person watching over them while they are swimming.

Apply sunscreen regularly, wear a hat, drink plenty of water regularly to hydrate and know where your children are at all times.

Anglers should wear life-jackets while angling. There is the ever present risk of being swept off rocks by waves while angling and we urge anglers to be extremely cautious and never turn your back on the sea.

Avoid alcohol consumption if you are going boating or swimming.

Everyone should have planned emergency procedures that can kick in when an emergency develops.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • LinkedIn
View previous story
View next story
  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Platinum Partners

    Platinum membership is an exclusive opportunity. Participation is limited to ten partners at any one time. Membership is seen as a long term partnership and brand investment over 5 years.


    Platinum partners


    Strategic Partners

    Magazine & Press Releases
    Receive news about the NSRI’s services, rescues, events, and more.

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    South African flag The Charity that Saves Lives on South African Waters

    • Newsroom
    • About Us
    • Rescue Bases
    • SafeTrx

    Head Office

    Mon - Fri 08:00 - 16:00

    1 Glengariff Road
    Three Anchor Bay
    Cape Town, 8005

    33° 54’ 32” S; 18° 23’ 53” E

    Contact Info

    Tel: +27 21 434 4011
    Fax: +27 21 434 1661
    E-mail: info@searescue.org.za

    PO Box 154, Green Point, 8051
    South Africa

    Registration Numbers

    Co. Reg. No: 1967/013618/08
    NPO Reg. No. 002 – 870

    Facebook Twitter Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS
    Back to top
    • Site Index
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • NSRI Training Academy

    © 2021 NSRI. All rights reserved.

    Emergency Numbers

    Sea Rescue emergency number from your cell phone: 112

    NORTHERN CAPE

    063 698 8971       Port Nolloth


    WESTERN CAPE

    060 960 3027      Lamberts Bay
    082 990 5966      Mykonos
    082 990 5974      Yzerfontein
    082 990 5958      Melkbosstrand
    082 990 5963      Table Bay
    082 990 5962      Bakoven
    082 990 5964      Hout Bay
    082 990 5979      Kommetjie
    082 990 5965      Simon’s Town
    082 990 6753      Strandfontein
    072 448 8482      Gordon’s Bay
    082 990 5967      Hermanus
    082 990 5952      Agulhas
    082 990 5957      Witsand
    082 990 5978      Still Bay
    082 990 5954      Mossel Bay
    082 990 5955      Wilderness
    082 990 5956      Knysna
    082 990 5975      Plettenberg Bay
    072 446 6344      Theewaterskloof Dam
    082 990 5980      Air Sea Rescue Unit


    EASTERN CAPE 

    082 990 5968      Oyster Bay
    082 990 5969      St Francis Bay
    079 916 0390      Jeffreys Bay
    082 990 0828      Port Elizabeth
    082 990 5971      Port Alfred
    082 990 5972      East London
    082 550 5430      Port St Johns


    KZN  

    082 990 5951      Port Edward
    082 990 5950      Shelly Beach
    072 652 5158      Rocky Bay
    060 305 4803      Ballito
    082 990 5948      Durban
    082 990 5949      Richards Bay


    MPUMALANGA

    060 962 2620      Witbank Dam


    GAUTENG  

    060 991 9301      Gauteng


    NORTH WEST

    082 990 5961      Hartbeespoort Dam


    FREE STATE

    072 903 9572      Vaal Dam

     


    After hours, should you require our assistance,
    please do not hesitate to call: NSRI Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) 087 094 9774

    You can download the high res pdf of the emergency numbers here

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • LinkedIn

    For COVID-19 updates, visit official government website www.sacoronavirus.co.za