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Original poster

...to remind people of the dangers of the sea? [Poss trigger]

51 replies

ThatFriskyFeline · 27/07/2016 17:11

I am a regular but have name changed as this could be terribly outing

I'm visiting my parents at the moment, who live on the coast in The Netherlands. This afternoon a 15-year-old boy was pulled out of the sea (today is wet, windy, and the sea is still cold) but, despite serious efforts by the amazing emergency services, he sadly didn't make it.

Only a few days ago we watched one of the coastguard search helicopters patrol a section of the sea near us, whilst the air ambulance was circling waiting for space to be cleared on the beach for it to land. Luckily this one turned out to be false alarm, until today.

The North Sea and English Channel are particularly dangerous bodies of water. They are far from calm, there are plenty of strong undercurrents near the coast line, and sand banks which move so regularly that the currents also move with them.

With it being summer it will be tempting to go to the beach and go for a swim in the sea to cool down. Please please please tell your kids, and others who don't know, what the dangers are and how important it is to adhere to any signage on the beach. Please tell them that when they do decide to swim, to stay close to the coast. And if they get caught by a current, they should allow it to drag them out to sea. It will stop, and it will be easier to swim back when not swimming against the current.

When the sea is rough, the coast guard / RNLI will likely make it clear it's unsafe to swim. Today was not a safe day to swim. Today it resulted in something horrible.

Please educate your children.

OP posts:
PurpleAlerts · 27/07/2016 17:23

I am always astounded as to how ignorant people are about the dangers of the sea.
But it's not only the kids that need educating.
We come out to a resort in The Algarve regularly.I recently saw a child of no more than 7 having difficulty in making it back to the beach on her inflatable. I was about to swim out to her when two other closer swimmers in the sea also saw and swam out to get her. I assumed they were her parents who had been distracted but no.Not only were they not in the sea with her, they were all the way up the other end of the beach and hadn't even seen the potential disaster that had been averted. The child explained what had happened and they didn't even have the decency to thank the man who had rescued her. Unbelievable. 😡

davos · 27/07/2016 17:28

I am always shocked about this too.

But then my family was a fishing family off the east coast and have lost many family members over the years. So maybe because of my father family I am hyper aware.

Muddlingthroughtoo · 27/07/2016 17:29

I feel exactly the same way, I am a good swimmer but 11 years ago I did a silly thing and jumped in a nice calm sea.....which in 30 seconds turned into a horrific battering by the waves. Resulted in arms and legs and fingers being cut to bits as I was dashed into the rocks. Never ever have I feared for my life more than then. I was in there for less than 2 minutes but it changed my whole outlook on the sea. I'll take my kids to the Lido or if we go to the beach they are allowed to their knees and only if I'm with them. The sea won't be taking my kids.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/07/2016 17:31

Oh no. His poor family. That's so tragic and terrifying.
Did you witness it.

Girlwhowearsglasses · 27/07/2016 17:32

There's a really good Facebook post going about with pictures on what to do in a riptide. There are lots of these on our beaches - here's the link www.facebook.com/kenny.jewell.9/posts/1015325015192908

LunaLoveg00d · 27/07/2016 17:33

Playing in the sea can be great fun. But yes, you have to respect the sea and appreciate that it can be dangerous. Things like inflatable toys have no place in the sea, keep them for the swimming pool. And people who go out in boats, kayaks or other craft with kids and without lifejackets are terminally stupid.

Kreeshsheesh · 27/07/2016 17:33

As an older teen (au pair at the time) in Italy, I was caught in a rip tide whilst swimming in the sea. Never been so frightened as I struggled to swim what seemed like a very long way back into the beach. Somehow I made it back.

WhooooAmI24601 · 27/07/2016 17:33

We live very near to Bosworth Water Park and this weekend went to take the DCs for a sailing session as we often do. An hour after we left a little boy was pulled from the water and later died. It is terrifying, and whilst I try very hard to teach the DCs about water safety (I grew up sailing from a young age) sometimes you cannot prevent every terrible situation. I've not told the DCs about the little boy who lost his life yet because we're due to go on holiday soon and I don't want to put fear into them. But then perhaps they need that fear to keep themselves safe.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/07/2016 17:33

I hate seeing inflatables on the beach.

Cutecat78 · 27/07/2016 17:33

Hmm my DSDs are allowed to swim in the sea (inlet) by their house with no adult supervision (9 and11) and they are not good swimmers at all.

Makes me feel sick.

MadisonMontgomery · 27/07/2016 17:35

I am always amazed at the amount of people who aren't strong swimmers yet are happy to go into the sea. As a child I was a very strong swimmer and confident in water - at about 7 I got caught in a rip tide, luckily I knew what to do, and my dad was watching me so would have been able to help if needed, but if not it could have gone horribly wrong.

Kreeshsheesh · 27/07/2016 17:36

Actually a teenage boy also lost his life at that beach in Italy whilst I was working there. He'd had a fit whilst in the sea. I'm sorry for what you saw and what happened today. Poor boy and his family.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/07/2016 17:38

It doesn't matter how much of a strong swimmer a person is. Very few are stronger than the sea.

Cutecat78 · 27/07/2016 17:41

People seem to be of the misconception too that if its not deep you can't get into trouble Confused

P1nkP0ppy · 27/07/2016 17:43

People don't appreciate that off shore winds will blow you out to sea on your inflatable ring/lilo/whatever, even when the sea's calm.
We dragged an 8 year old to shore at the weekend after her lilo was blown out to sea and flipped her off. The parents were furious we hadn't brought the lilo back too (a bystander put them straight on that one 😡).

The lilo was blown along far faster than anyone could have swam.

It isn't just the tides you have to worry about.

throwingpebbles · 27/07/2016 17:44

Yanbu.
I was at west wittering last summer and was astonished to see children with inflatables playing unsupervised in the sea. Keep them for the pool, please. I had to stop one pair of boys swimming (badly) after their inflatable ball that was drifting out to sea rapidly. Angry

acatcalledjohn · 27/07/2016 17:45

The news that he'd died thankfully was an error. By some miracle they got his heart going again and he is fighting for his life in hospital. So fingers crossed he makes it.

No, I did not witness it, but did spot the ambulance leaving the village with police on motorbikes clearing junctions for the ambulance. The latter doesn't happen very often.

Having lived on the coast myself and hearing helicopters and ambulances pretty regularly in the summer, I always feel we do underestimate nature far too regularly and every instance is a reason to remind people.

megletthesecond · 27/07/2016 17:45

I think I've done a fair bit to warn mine (9 & 7). I stick next to them like a limpet and don't let ds go out too deep (lp and two kids to supervise). The RNLI have a 'Hold tight, hands up!' beach safely campaign. We've watched the little video and got the safety pack.

Cutecat78 · 27/07/2016 17:46

I live by the sea and I also hate seeing inflatables.

Last weekend someone had this massive unicorn that got blown out really quickly with kids on it - the guy chasing it just couldn't catch up - luckily he did in the end.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/07/2016 17:47

Their child nearly died and they were worrying about a fucking air bed.
WTAF. Is that all about.
Thank goodness you were there, and good on the bystander for putting them in their place.
Honestly the attitude of some

Original poster
ThatFriskyFeline · 27/07/2016 17:49

The news that he'd died thankfully was an error. By some miracle they got his heart going again and he is fighting for his life in hospital. So fingers crossed he makes it.

No, I did not witness it, but did spot the ambulance leaving the village with police on motorbikes clearing junctions for the ambulance. The latter doesn't happen very often.

Having lived on the coast myself and hearing helicopters and ambulances pretty regularly in the summer, I always feel we do underestimate nature far too regularly and every instance is a reason to remind people.

have reported name change fail

OP posts:
Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 27/07/2016 17:49

Oh. Here's hoping he'll be okay. FX and prayers.

WilLiAmHerschel · 27/07/2016 17:54

Has anyone got any more safety tips? I never go in the sea myself but just in case I take my dd to the seaside one day.

No inflatables.
Avoid rip tides.

Anything else?

CakeNinja · 27/07/2016 17:55

It is never unreasonable to warn anyone of the dangers of the sea.
Never ever.

Gazelda · 27/07/2016 17:56

Bbc1 are currently showing a series at 9pm Wednesday's showing the work of the RNLI volunteers. It also shows some of the situations people easily find themselves in. We've been watching it with 8yo DD, alongside signing her up for Stormforce (RNLI kids membership). Water Awareness is vital to anyone who plays in or by water.

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