Having read of some awful tragedies over the weekend with open water I thought I would start a thread with a few points and others can add. Because not everybody has had the same exposure to open water risks so what is common sense to one person is utterly unknown to others.
Open water in the UK is cold. Really cold. Even on sunny days. The deeper you go, the colder. This can take even fit and well people by surprise.
Don't jump in to unknown water ever. We are a rocky country populated by messy people. Water hides rocks, logs, metal and all manner of hazards.
Piers and jetty lead out from the shore to deep water so boats can be accessed. Don't regard them as an extension of the shore. The water will be both deep and cold.
Swim parallel to the shore, not out to sea.
No inflatables in the sea ever.
Tides move faster than you can walk, know what your exit route is.
If you can't swim, don't go out of your depth. Don't try and help people in trouble. You help just as much by fetching help or fetching items people in the water can hold on to.
Make sure your teenagers know these principles.
And remember 'float to live'
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AIBU?
To mention some water safety issues we all need to know?
356 replies
Northernlurker · 26/07/2021 16:56
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