Don’t fight it, float: 10 water safety tips to remember at the beach this summer

04.08.2023 - 17:51 / theguardian.com

Float to live Can you float on your back in a starfish shape, chin back, chest pushed skywards? Almost everyone can. “Float to live” reduces the accelerated heart rate and panicked breathing we suffer when we find ourselves in difficulty in water, including the effects of cold water shock. Thrashing around and taking in water is a recipe for disaster, whereas floating on your back buys you vital time in which to decide whether to signal for help or try to swim ashore, says the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) head of water safety, Gareth Morrison. He mentions the story of a 10-year-old boy rescued by the charity’s Scarborough Lifeboat in 2020 – he had been swept out to sea, but knew about float to live. “He floated for nearly an hour before rescuers reached him, which saved his life.” If you find yourself in the situation where you need to float to live, Morrison advises you tilt your head back with ears submerged, relax and try to control your breathing, and use your hands to help you stay afloat. “It’s OK if your legs sink, we all float differently,” he says.

Ditch the inflatable toysAccording to Morrison, inflatable toys “are fine for a swimming pool”, but ought to be avoided on open water. “I have seen first-hand how an offshore wind can take a child who is near the shoreline on an inflatable toy, within 20 or 30 seconds, to being barely visible out to sea, requiring a lifeboat rescue,” he says. “Even an Olympic swimmer can’t beat an offshore wind.” If you see someone drifting out to sea, dial 999 and call that novelty unicorn armchair into the coastguard. Interestingly, Morrison says that the RNLI also wants people to call in empty inflatables: “They cause false alarms, so we may launch a lifeboat to retrieve them.”

Be a hero … by not trying to be a heroIt can go against our instincts not to swim out to help a person in distress in the sea, but entering the water unexpectedly to try to save someone can put you at risk of drowning. “The rescuer is often the one who ends up in the worst trouble,” says Morrison. Instead, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. “You can also try to throw the person something that floats, whether it’s a lifebuoy such as a ring, or even just a ball,” he says. “They might be able to swim to it and use it for buoyancy. Also remind them to float and stay calm.”

Make an online habit out of searching for lifeguarded beachesChoosing which beach to head to in good weather or when on holiday is a decision that’s often made the day before we go, according to Morrison. And, just as you might check out the parking options online, check the RNLI website to see if it’s a lifeguarded beach – an interactive map lists hundreds across the UK at a glance.

Know your flags and