RNLI urges visitors to stay safe on south west beaches this Bank Holiday weekend

After an exceptionally busy season so far, RNLI lifeguards are preparing for one of the busiest weekends of the year (Saturday 23 August - Monday 25 August) as families, swimmers and surfers head to the coast to make the most of the warm weather and final long weekend of the summer.

The weekend will see the return to spring tides, meaning higher high tides and lower low tides, increasing the risk of beach goers and walkers being cut off by the tide. The extra water movement increases the likelihood of strong rip currents forming. The conditions, coupled with the number of people expected to be heading to the coast, means the lifeguards are preparing for the weekend to be very busy.

The majority of lifeguard incidents involve rip currents. On Saturday 16 August, RNLI lifeguard Xanthe Dyer who was patrolling West Bay in Dorset rescued a swimmer who had been dragged out by a rip current which was running out to sea next to the rock groyne. Xanthe responded quickly to the two casualties, helping one out of the shallows before swimming 30metres out with a rescue tube to bring the second casualty back to safety.

On Sunday 14 August at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall, seven people were rescued out of hours by off-duty RNLI lifeguard Sam Harwood. All seven had been dragged out of their depth by a rip current, and Sam quickly responded by using a surfboard from a nearby beach goer and paddled out in the rip to reach those that were in difficulty. He used the board as a flotation device to support the casualties while other surfers also came to help. All seven swimmers were assisted safely back to shore, and one had to be treated by paramedics.

 Guy Botterill, Regional Lifeguard Lead said:

‘Our lifeguard teams in the south west have had an exceptionally busy season so far, and have all be working incredibly hard to keep beachgoers safe this Bank Holiday. We are aware that the warm weather and long weekend will encourage people to head to the coast, and we are prepared to provide the best life saving service to those who need it.

'We are currently keeping a watch on the weather forecast and monitoring the predicted impact that Hurricane Erin might have on the sea and swell conditions that will hit the south west towards the beginning of next week. While it is too early to know exactly what we might experience, our teams will continue to monitor the forecasts closely and work with partner agencies to provide safety updates in needed. In the meantime, we’d encourage anyone planning to use the water to keep a close eye on the conditions and potential warnings as they plan their activities, and to always choose a lifeguarded beach and follow the safety guidance.

‘The majority of incidents our lifeguards deal with involve rip currents, they can be difficult to spot or identify and can catch even the most experienced water users out. This is why we always encourage people to choose to visit a lifeguarded beach, and swim between the red and yellow flags. The RNLI lifeguard teams will be monitoring the conditions carefully, so follow their guidance and ask for advice if you’re unsure.

If you do find yourself in trouble in the water, ensure you know how to Float to Live.’

To avoid a rip current: 

• Choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags which have been marked based on where it is safer to swim in the current conditions.

If you do find yourself caught in a rip: 

• Don’t try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted 

• If you can stand, wade don’t swim 

• If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore 

• Always raise your hand and shout for help 

• If you see someone in difficulty or suspect they are in difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard 

Notes to Editors

• RNLI lifeguards will be patrolling over 90 beaches across the south west throughout the Bank Holiday weekend

• Follow the link to see which beaches currently have RNLI lifeguard patrols here 

• Spokespeople are available for interview – please contact the press office on the details below

Media contacts 

For more information please contact Colleen Semple, Communications Placement on [email protected] or Amy Caldwell, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or via [email protected]