NSRI warns of spring tide rip current
The NSRI has warned that the new moon spring tide will cause stronger than normal rip currents around the coast.
|||Cape Town – The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) on Friday urged the public to be extra cautious this weekend with the new moon spring tide that will peak on Sunday and cause stronger than normal rip currents around the coast.
“NSRI are urging extreme public caution around the coast over the weekend and into late next week. Very strong rip currents will be present around the coast from now and over the next eight days,” it said in a statement .
Bathers and shoreline anglers were most at risk and extreme caution was advised. Spring tide happens twice every month of the year – at full moon and again at new moon.
Spring Tides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide, causing stronger than normal rip currents for a few days leading up to the full moon and the new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon and the new moon and lasting for a few days after the full moon and the new moon.
Rip currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells, and sea currents needs to find a way to 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.
“Bathers are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming or wading in water along the beachfront. Even bathers wading in shallow water who find themselves trapped in a rip current that forms suddenly are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents,” the NSRI said.
“Bathers caught in a rip current should not panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water (moving your arms and legs in circular movements), don’t try to swim against the current as it will only cause you exhaustion and let the current sweep you out to sea, but 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 your arm to alert people on the beach to raise the alarm.”
Anglers fishing along the shoreline, particularly along rocks on the shoreline, were at greatest risk during the spring tide, where incoming waves during the high tides washed 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.
Boaters, paddlers, sail boarders and anyone launching any kind of craft onto water should wear their life-jackets at all times while on the water and carry easily accessible safety equipment.
African News Agency