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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that we need more education about the sea?

234 replies

LyndaNotLinda · 21/08/2016 19:10

Six people dead in 24 hours around the British coast. Many more injured. Lots of RNLI staff risking their lives to save people who have taken insane risks.

I live on the coast and a number of people on our beaches get into serious trouble every summer and that isn't even with a storm thrown into the mix. Once you add that in, the risks to holidaymakers are enormous.

Do we need government warning to tell people that it isn't safe to go in or near the water in high winds? It just seems that people were taken totally unawares by the power of the sea :(

OP posts:
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7
oldlaundbooth · 22/08/2016 16:26

www.amusingplanet.com/2015/11/bolton-strid-stream-that-swallows-people.html

Crikey! Didn't realise this was at Bolton Abbey - been there lots.

goddessoftheharvest · 22/08/2016 16:44

Bloody hell. I can never get my head around America. Lake! Ours are like paddling pools in comparison. When I was watching the thing about the disappearing boat, I was thinking,meh they obviously didn't look hard enough, bloody great thing like that.... then I Googled.....ah

Bolton Strid! That's it! Gives me the massive shivers thinking about it

Itwillbefine · 22/08/2016 17:01

Mycatsabastard you must live near me... Scary stuff. I didn't go down to the beach Saturday afternoon, the local park was windy enough. The RNLI do an amazing job.

Itwillbefine · 22/08/2016 17:05

Mycatsabastard you must live near me... Scary stuff. I didn't go down to the beach Saturday afternoon, the local park was windy enough. The RNLI do an amazing job.

FarAwayHills · 22/08/2016 17:10

I agree OP, YADNBU I also posted a thread about this.

I am always on edge when my DCs go in the sea. They are good swimmers but when it comes to the sea that really doesn't matter.

I've been to the beach with friends who watch on totally relaxed while their kids go further and further out. Ive often called my kids back from following their friends and given them a bollocking. I was once told by one of the parents that I was overprotective and that I was going to give them a 'fear of the water'. Hmm

Toomuchtea · 22/08/2016 17:30

A fear of the water is a fine thing to have if it's not in a pool. I spent most of my summers in landlocked Britain, where a river ran through my grandparents' farm. My sister and I were allowed free range, but I can't remember ever not being terrified of going in the river (we could both swim). We did a lot of things we weren't supposed to, but my grandmother did an excellent job of putting the fear of God into us about that river. COLD. WEEDS. It still makes me shiver even thinking about it.

And even if water is in a pool, you still need to be careful. DS and I were once invited to swim in a friend's freezing pool. Start off at the shallow end, I said to DS. It's colder than you expect. He paid no attention, jumped in the deep end and sank like a stone. I'd only just got in myself and wasn't acclimatised and those few seconds while I was waiting until my breath was back and I could get him were amongst the worst of my life. Fortunately we both survived and DS has a very, very healthy respect for all bodies of water.

FarAwayHills · 22/08/2016 17:59

For me some fear is a necessary evil as the dangers just aren't obvious especially where excitable kids are concerned. As in your experience Too sometimes kids (and grown ups) choose to ignore all warnings and common sense just at the sight of a body of water. Chuck some sunshine and the holiday goggles into the mix and it all goes out the window.

Glad you were ok, sounds scaryFlowers

heron98 · 22/08/2016 18:16

I haven't been to the beach for years but am amazed anyone goes in the sea in this country. Surely it's fucking freezing?

goddessoftheharvest · 22/08/2016 18:25

Depends where you are and what sort of day it is. I know people who swim every day of the year, weather and tides permitting. They wear wetsuits though. I'm more old school, tend to go in summer evenings. The earliest I have been in is March, and mu nipples were like Polaris missiles

Original poster
LyndaNotLinda · 22/08/2016 18:27

You'd be surprised heron :) It's actually very refreshing. I love sea swimming and swim all year round (I wear a wetsuit in winter tho!).

Late August/early Sept is when the sea is at its warmest

FarAway - my friend has a beachhut on the prom quite close to the tideline. We often watch quite small children with no adult in sight in the water. Scares the bejeezus out of me. A couple of weeks ago, a kid was taken out to sea on an inflatable toy. When the lifeguard went out to get him, he told her he couldn't swim. Shock Why hadn't his parents noticed? Why was he even in the sea on an inflatable if he couldn't swim?

I can only conclude they were making good use of the beach bar :(

OP posts:
Mycatsabastard · 22/08/2016 18:28

itwillbefine We went down on Saturday, not on the beach, just to walk along the prom and the sea was filled with surfers but also KIDS! Insane.

Red flags flying everywhere and people still let their kids in the water.

BarryTheKestrel · 22/08/2016 18:29

I live coastally and have always been taught the dangers of the sea. Me and a friend were caught in a rip when we were about 11 and had the knowledge of how to get ourselves out of it because we'd been taught sea safety from a young age.

My local beach has a lifeguarded area however it's not the safest area of the beach, just the most popular/ busiest/easily accessible part of the 2 mile stretch which means most holiday makers get there and stay rather than move along the beach. We will always go to the far end which is the safest for kids and significantly safer in terms of tides and currents.

If you don't have knowledge of sea safety you should never mess with the sea.

Shannaratiger · 22/08/2016 18:37

Bournemouth is our closest beach. Couple of weeks ago sea fog rolled in and red flags obviously went up. Lifeguards were repeatedly telling people to get out of the water, they couldn't be seen but still thought it was OK!
Really proud of my 2, got out as soon as they were told, we didn't have to say anything wouldn't go back until flags removed.
They were really shocked the number of people who went back in before the flags were removed.
Maybe all the episodes of Bonding Rescue we've watched have made an impression!

CoraPirbright · 22/08/2016 18:57

Ooh Heron it's utterly wonderful!! Yes, it is cold but you feel so alive afterwards. Just my favourite, favourite thing.

goddessoftheharvest · 22/08/2016 19:10

My nine year old actually saw some kids at the beach today and hoiked her judgy pants right up. They were on inflatable tyres quite far out from shore. DD started ranting on about "the RNLI inflatable crocodile story" so it's clearly sibling in.

I get the feeling the RNLI don't get to inland schools as much as they do coastal ones, which is a shame because the inlanders will tend to be the ones unaware of the dangers of things like inflatables in the sea

goddessoftheharvest · 22/08/2016 19:10

Sibling in not Sibling!

goddessoftheharvest · 22/08/2016 19:13

Sinking. for fuck sake

Amadeus1984 · 22/08/2016 19:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 22/08/2016 19:27

We're on holiday at the moment and growing up near the sea, I'm anal about tide times. I wouldn't let DD go anywhere near the sea on Fri or Sat. DH wants to go fossil hunting but the best areas carry tidal warnings so he's not taking DD and is unlikely to go himself.

DD is only allowed in the sea on a life guarded beach.

I'm sure my PIL think I'm bonkers.

whirlygirly · 22/08/2016 19:33

I think the same when I see people sunbathing at the bottom of a cliff. After seeing a rock fall on our local (luckily empty) beach, it terrifies me. It's insane to set up camp where you could easily be killed.

Dp once saw someone fall off a cliff at Newquay, that'll never leave him Sad

And portia, the lizard is very far from being a shithole Smile

FarAwayHills · 22/08/2016 19:41

A non swimming child on an inflatable - words fail me Angry

EstrellaCircusGirl · 22/08/2016 20:10

Apologies if this has already been posted (I did look through for links). At what point will idiots like this one get the message?

Three rescues for holidaymaker cut off by Cornwall tide
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-37154028

PolterGoose · 22/08/2016 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

specialsubject · 22/08/2016 22:32

Three times girl needs to be named, shamed and sent a big.bill . thats not what the rnli risks lives for, or what we all donate for.

MrsBrew005 · 22/08/2016 23:44

Absolutely more education is needed I grew up and love in Cornwall so from a young age I've been taught (nagged) the dangers of the coast, signs of when the sea is simply too choppy and to avoid and get out of rip currents. I don't know how we would do this but only last week I saw a mother and two children go body boarding, right next to a rip current on a unsafe beach with no lifeguards in an area where experienced fishermen have died repeatedly, I did warn the lady and she was grateful for the advice and moved to the other side of the coast I suggested, it's not anyone's fault. Maybe adverts before peak seasons clearer warning signs on beaches that are not suitable for swimming could help. There's nothing scarier than being caught in an under current I was lucky I knew exactly which way to swim to get free it's so hard to find one tiny head in a choppy tide I pray the press attention t
Due to these tragedies will encourage people to take caution and above all NEVER leave your kids to roam the shoreline alone.

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