The KZN South Coast is the ideal destination this summer! With its beautiful Blue Flag beaches, it’s the perfect place for sun, sea, and fun. However, don’t forget that safety comes first! We’ve got nine tips to ensure you have the best beachside summer this festive season.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (28 November 2024) – With the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the province, the KZN South Coast remains a top destination for seaside holidays, particularly with the festive season approaching.
Although it may be tempting to dive into the blue waters this summer, it is important to stay safe by following these nine safety tips to prevent a fun beach day from turning into a sombre one.
1. Swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty
The KZN South Coast has 58 golden beaches, but it’s important to note that lifeguards are only on duty at selected beaches with times varying from beach to beach, KZN South Coast Tourism shares.
Check whether there is a lifeguard on duty before entering the water and listen to lifeguards’ advice. If you have any concerns, talk to the lifeguards about the safety of the beach you are visiting, as they can instruct on possible rip tides and currents.
2. Swim between the designated flags
All beaches monitored by lifeguards will have designated yellow and red flags to indicate where you should swim. Only swim between these flags, as this is the safest area for swimming, and wave your arm if you’re in the water and need help.
3. Don’t drink and swim, folks
Swimming while intoxicated is incredibly dangerous as you’re more inclined to take risks you normally wouldn’t. You could also pass out or injure yourself and drown.
4. Buddy up
It’s best to swim with a buddy so that you always have someone who can help if you need it or if you cannot wave down the lifeguards yourself.
5. Keep an eye on the little ones
It’s important to remember that drowning is silent. Parents and caregivers must always supervise their children when they are near or in the ocean. Children should be watched at all times, and adults are advised to avoid looking at their cell phones or checking social media, as this can lead to distractions.
6. Call for help if you witness a bather in distress
If you see someone having difficulty in the ocean, call a lifeguard or dial the nearest NSRI station or 112 from your phone. The NSRI launched its Pink Rescue Buoy initiative in 2017, and these lifesaving devices were strategically placed in rivers, dams, and beaches.
Throw a lifebuoy or other flotation device to the distressed bather until emergency help arrives. If you attempt a bystander rescue, do so only if you can swim AND have a flotation device with you. Tell someone on the beach to call 112 before you go in.
7. Beware of inflatable toys
Lightweight inflatables such as boats or lilos should not be used at the beach or on dams where currents and wind can blow them – and you – offshore.
They are extremely dangerous and should only be used at a swimming pool with adult supervision.
8. Beware of rip currents
Given the right circumstances of waves and beach profile, rip currents can move at speeds of up to 2 metres per second – faster than any of us can swim.
The best way to avoid rip currents is to swim only where lifeguards are on duty. If you are caught in a rip current, the most important thing to remember is not to panic. Stay calm and force yourself to relax.
You are not going to win a fight with the ocean. Swim slowly and conservatively out of the current or relax and let it carry you out past the breakers until it slacks.
9. Beware of spring tides
At every full moon and every new moon, spring tides occur, causing the two daily high tides to be higher than normal and two daily low tides to be lower than normal.
Spring tides may cause stronger than normal rip currents, and risks may be increased at the tide change when the high tide peak recedes towards low tide. Be especially cautious around the coastline when there are spring tides, but bear in mind that rip currents constantly form at different locations around the coast and are always a risk factor.
“We want to ensure all visitors remain safe when visiting the KZN South Coast, and urge them to follow these vital beach safety tips supplied by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), adds the CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE), Dr Vusumuzi Sibiya.
Sources: South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 