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Original poster

Please please please watch your children at the beach

109 replies

listsandbudgets · 19/08/2021 20:38

I'm staying in Devon at the moment and decided at about half past four to go for a swim. I'm a reasonably confident swimmer and know that at this particular beach its quite easy to go quickly out of your depth.

I was treading water talking to another woman I vaguely know when she suddenly said "I think that little girl just went under over there" Luckily we were fairly close, swam as quickly as we could and were able to grab her and haul her out. She was coughing up sea water and obviously terrified but she was OK. We took her back to the beach and her parents hadn't even realised - understandably they were extremely upset :(

Please watch your children and make sure for yourself before they go in how quickly it gets deep some beaches you can walk out for ages and its barely past your waists but not all of them.. I'm only processing now what could have happened if the lady I was with hadn't spotted her.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 19/08/2021 22:01

And around swimming pools please be careful as well.

I was at a holiday place very very early in the morning (up for a run) and saw a lone toddler, can't have been more than 2, wandering around the unfenced pool all alone. I asked her where her parents were, no answer. I took her round and there was one open door, I knocked and a woman answered. She'd left the door open and the toddler had just walked out.

I saw the same family on that holiday all on one motorbike, no helmets, riding off. Clearly trying to kill themselves!

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 19/08/2021 22:01

Thanks for posting this story. I witness some terrifying things on the coast that's local to me: people swimming with little ones near rip currents, and a tide which sweeps in sharply from the right toward a couple of headlands and can cut you off if you don't keep a sharp eye on what the water is doing.

There are signs everywhere warning people how treacherous that stretch of coast is. But plenty of people take little notice.

frazzledfragglefromfragglerock · 19/08/2021 22:02

@DartmoorDoughnut

Any proper bouyancy aid for water sports will do. We usually get ours at a chandlery or the boat show on discount lol. They probably do them in decathlon or go outdoors if there's a big enough shop near you.

The most important thing is getting the right size. They usually go by weight. You need to make sure they can't slide out of it. If you do it up tight then yank on the shoulders it shouldn't rise up too much. My 7 year old still wears one which has leg straps that holds it in place better.

screechyowl · 19/08/2021 22:04

Happens so quickly, a young lad started to struggle and go under in the deep end of the swimming pool the other day and the guard had to jump in. It was really frightening to see, they really can't afford to take their eyes off for a moment.

JurassicPark101 · 19/08/2021 22:05

I live on the coast and as well as their swimming lessons all the kids have a day down at the RNLI centre by the marina and learn about float to live and general sea safety. They need to do it all across the country (although I know the RNLI isn’t funded, the government should include on the curriculum) as some of the families that come down here on holiday terrify me.

KhalliWhalli · 19/08/2021 22:05

That’s why I hate beach holidays. It’s just too stressful. If you have DC, there is no way you can just relax on the beach, so what’s the point?

Screwcorona · 19/08/2021 22:07

I've rescued multiple children over the years whilst I've been surfing, it is bad, more ocean safety needs to be taught at school and awareness to the parents. Funnily enough I've actually had parents angry at me afterwards, like I rescued their child to make them look bad or something 🤨

UneFoisAuChalet · 19/08/2021 22:11

When I was about five, in our own swimming pool, in front of my father who was sitting poolside having a fag, I nearly drowned.

Someone had removed the floating divider that separated the shallow end from the deep end. I was messing on in the shallow bit with no armbands and I simply slid forward until I was bobbing up and down in the deep end. My father was literally next to be but it took a few moments before he realised I was in trouble. He dove in and hauled me out. I can recall my mother fishing out his half finished cigarette and the soggy pack of smokes from the pool.

It was so quick and so shocking. I remember looking above and seeing the bright sun and the bubbles I was making as I panicked. The chlorine water I regurgitated. It only takes a minute.

SwanShaped · 19/08/2021 22:14

What’s squares in the sea?

Hugoslavia · 19/08/2021 22:15

Would you mind mentioning which beach it was if it had a sudden drop off?

MsTSwift · 19/08/2021 22:16

Cannot believe parents let their kids play in the sea unattended like they are in the bloody park 🙄. If mine are in the sea I am in there with them despite both being competent swimmers and 12 and 15.

sassbott · 19/08/2021 22:17

Much more ocean safety needs to be taught. My lot are learning to surf and I am ensuring it is done with proper instructors who teach them what to watch for, how to orientate themselves constantly, core safety instructions. And all they repeatedly drill into them, is this it has nothing to do with how strong a swimmer you may think you are. Watch for the currents and rip tides. Respect the sea. Don’t surf alone. If they see them drifting during a lesson, they will call them in, explain safety and send them back out to ensure they understand safe surfing within the conditions.

What then staggers me (especially this summer) is how many young kids are then out in the water (in the surfing area) completely unattended. Some parents are taking no time to educate themselves about where their children are swimming, or even watch them. I’ve seen many surfers time and again rescue younger children and return them to the beach. Without so much as thank you from the indignant parents. Astonishing at so many levels.

MrTumblesSpottyHag · 19/08/2021 22:18

My children wear palm quest buoyancy aids with legs straps and wetsuits for extra warmth/ floatiness. They aren't allowed to go out of their depth unless an adult is in with them and they both have swimming lessons which have cost me a fucking fortune. I still cannot relax while they're in the water 😩

sassbott · 19/08/2021 22:21

Perranporth beach has very sharp shelves in places where the ground can literally drop from beneath your feet. I never let my children in at that beach without them either being part of a surfing lesson. Or I am out there with them.

My youngest is a strong swimmer but would absolutely panic in that situation.

user1497787065 · 19/08/2021 22:32

I was brought up in a seaside town and agree most children learn to swim but have no idea when it comes to sea swimming.

I'm sure adults also know little about tides and currents.

Likewise those who dodge the waves crashing against the sea wall during a storm.

I think there needs to be a 'Respect the Sea' campaign.

AliceMcK · 19/08/2021 22:33

Some parents have no idea how easy it is to loose sight of a child especially near water or how fast things can change. I turned my back for what felt like a second on my 6yo last summer, I literally turned around to get a better grip of my 3yo in the swimming pool when my 6yo decided to push off in the water behind my back not realising it was deeper and she couldn’t stand up. My DH was also facing the other way watching our 8yo. Luckily the life guards were on the ball and dived in to grab her. I always thought we were very good with water safety until then.

GetOffTheTableMabel · 19/08/2021 22:34

I recently read this article and realised that all the ideas I had about what someone looks like when drowning were wrong. I’ve not spent much time at the seaside in my life and really needed this information.

slate.com/technology/2013/06/rescuing-drowning-children-how-to-know-when-someone-is-in-trouble-in-the-water.html

BigSandyBalls2015 · 19/08/2021 22:35

@MsTSwift what age will you stop that though?

Screwcorona · 19/08/2021 22:35

@sassbott perranporth is brutal! A wave snapped my board out there on a solid 6ft day and I had to swim back in 😱

LemonFantaGin · 19/08/2021 22:37

Well done OP.

Its scary how quickly anyone can drown, swimming in pools, open water and water safety should be a life skill taught to everyone (along with first aid, cpr etc)

Lotusmonster · 19/08/2021 22:42

Am in Jersey…..v strong rip currents here which are not at all visible from the beach. Rip tides are fine if you’re in depth bu as soon as you lift your feet up you whizz down the coast towards rocks. Many young kids in the sea and parents unaware….thankfully great RNLI and coast guard presence here though.

Bunnycat101 · 19/08/2021 22:42

I think people who have grown up by the sea tend to be more cautious. There have been a few threads of here with people being a bit lax with their children in the sea. Many people underestimate currents and how much harder it is to swim in the sea and at the same time overestimate their child’s swimming ability. If a child has only swim in a teaching pool that doesn’t translate to the sea at all. They may as well be a non-swimmer.

LanisHouseLot · 19/08/2021 22:44

I think people also underestimate how hard it can be to 'just' jump in and rescue a child who is in trouble. If your own feet can't touch the ground and you aren't a really strong swimmer yourself it's HARD to scoop up a struggling child, support them, and get them to land.

So if you're half watching from the edge of the pool/beach thinking you can just dive in and sort the situation you may find yourself very much mistaken Sad.

Queenie6655 · 19/08/2021 22:45

Thank you for sharing

Why oh why were the parents not with them???

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 19/08/2021 22:48

There was a thread a few weeks ago about a woman whose husband insisted their seven year old was fine in the water by herself.

THIS is why no child is safe in water. We assume it’s this lovely pleasant entity in which we splash about. Water kills in seconds, silently. Don’t let your kids in the sea/swimming pool unless you are watching them like a hawk.

It never happens until it happens.