Safety warning as spring tides hit the coast this weekend

THE National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is urging members of the public to be cautious around the coast as the full moon spring tide has now started taking effect, leading towards the full moon peak at 3pm on Saturday.

This spring tide alert applies from today (Thursday) to 26 December when the full moon spring tide will bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide.

Sea Rescue Communications’ Craig Lambinon urged anglers fishing along the coastline, bathers, beach walkers and coastal hikers to be cautious, especially during the afternoons at high tide.

The spring high tides which peak every afternoon during this coming week indicate that some beaches will have little place for beach goers as the high tide rises.

Rock anglers should be aware that places where they were fishing during the past week may be submerged at high tide this next week, and for those hiking on the coastline their proposed route may not be accessible because of the higher than usual tide.

Sea Rescue is appealing to parents to make sure their children have responsible adult supervision when they are at the beach or in and around any water.

As many people find rip currents hard to identify the public is advised to only swim at beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty and to swim within the safe demarcated zones shown by lifeguards using their red and yellow flags.

Do not go into the water to try and help someone in difficulty but rather throw them something that floats (for example, Sea Rescue’s Pink Rescue Buoy) and call for help.

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