There has been a lot of media attention this summer regarding the tragic drownings along the NSW coast, particularly those occurring on unpatrolled beaches. Invariably authorities plead for beachgoers to only swim between the flags on beaches patrolled by lifeguards and lifesavers. But is this message falling on deaf ears?
Our beaches have never been busier than they were over the recent holidays. During my own holiday on the mid-north coast, the beaches were packed – and they were all unpatrolled. In fact, approximately only one in five beaches in NSW are patrolled and outside of populated areas, patrolled beaches are few and far between.
We did surveys several years ago of beachgoers on unpatrolled beaches and the message was clear. They were there because it was close to their holiday accommodation and they preferred quieter beaches away from the crowds. Can we really expect someone staying in a coastal tourist park next to a beautiful beach to jump in their car and drive 20 minutes to a busy patrolled beach? I think it’s unrealistic to assume so.
It would be fantastic to increase the number of beaches patrolled by lifeguards – because the flags work – but it’s not easy logistically. So we have to give beachgoers on unpatrolled beaches something more.
Surf Life Saving Australia has a Think Line campaign encouraging beachgoers to stop, look and plan when they get to the beach. Stop, draw an imaginary line in the sand, look for any hazards and think about beach safety. Are the conditions too rough based on your abilities? Are there lifeguards on the beach? Are there rip currents and do you know what rip currents are? Have a plan if someone gets in trouble – what would you do? Are there surfers around who could help?
Some of the recent drownings involved parents going in to save a child caught in a rip current. In this situation it’s important not to just rush in to help. Take some time to get someone to seek or call for help. Look around for something that floats. A boogie board, esky lid or ball will do. Having a flotation device will greatly increase the chances of a safe rescue.
The Think Line should be ingrained in our beachgoing culture in the same way that you automatically look both ways before crossing a road. We should also think about having seasonal lifeguards on the most popular unpatrolled beaches and it’s worth having volunteer lifesavers watching over bathers in lagoons on busy days as there were several near-drownings at the lagoons at Stanwell Park over the Christmas holidays. We simply have to do more as the reality is that not everyone is listening to the ‘swim between the flags’ message.
Have a question? Email rbrander@unsw.edu.au
Rob runs Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf (SOS), an award-winning community beach safety education program for all ages. Visit the website to learn more about rip currents – the biggest hazard on our beaches – and lots more! You can also find out more details about how you can arrange and attend an SOS presentation.