Safe swimming in the sea: Part two

Safe swimming in the sea is vital to your safety and that of your family.  It is recommended that you learn these tips to teach your children in order to keep them safe during the holidays.

SAFETY TIPS

• Never swim alone – use the buddy system.
• Do not overestimate your swimming ability, especially early in the summer when the water is cold. One’s swimming ability severely decreases in cold water.
• If you are confronted by a large wave and there is not enough time to swim or move away from it, try to dive underneath the wave. Keep your body as low as possible until the wave has passed over you. Timing is important, dive into the base of the wave just before it breaks. Do not dive if the water is too shallow – instead crouch and keep a low body profile.
• If you are caught in rip currents, relax and swim toward the shore at a 45-degree angle until you are free of the current.

READ: Be sun-safe this summer

• Never try to swim ashore against the current – it will only tire you.
• If the rip currents are strong, swim parallel with the shoreline in the same direction as the littoral current, and then swim diagonally toward the shore.
• If you are not able to swim out of the currents, call or wave for help.
• Never leave a young child unattended near water and never make a child responsible for another child – not even for five minutes. Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing drowning or permanent disability.
• Swimming aids, such as water wings or noodles, are fun toys for kids, but they should never be used instead of approved flotation devices.
• Be alert and steer clear of plant and animal life. Jellyfish, stingrays and other marine animals can cause painful stings or allergic reactions. Brushing up against certain types of seaweed or coral can result in painful scratches and scrapes.

DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 876 3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.

(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)