So we were at the beach.
It’s one with a big tide and when it goes out it’s very sandy with shingle bars.
The tide doesn’t come in equally (iyswim?) and the ‘pools’ are generally shallow and when the shingle bars are covered the beach remains quite shallow until about 1 hr either side of high tide.
The tide goes out much quicker than it comes in.
DS was out paddle boarding. He wears a bouyancy aid and is extremely aware of the tides and dangers of open water. He’s a strong swimmer so is vigilant to the dangers as it’s drilled into them.
He could see 2 children (prob about 8/9) out on the shingle bar and is aware the tide comes in and cuts off the furthest most point before coming over the top.
Whist it remains fairly shallow over the bars and within the pools as the tide breaches the bars its ’rolls In’ and creates waves.
He was worried about them as could see no adults obviously supervising and it’s about 25m back from where they are to the shore and the tide moves up the shore quickly when it’s breached the bars.
He has been very untuned to all the reports of drownings as swimming is a huge part of his life.
Anyway. As the sea breached the side of the shingle bar he paddled over and suggested to the children they headed back in.
They remained playing so DS hovered around to help them if needed.
After about 5 minutes an adult got up and went to the shoreline and called them back so DS remained where he was to make sure they were safe. The water was way above their waist as they waded back and even they seemed shocked it was quite so deep even over the shingle bar.
He didn’t speak to them except for suggesting they went back in.
DS then decided to head back to shore as it gets quite wavy for 30 minutes of so.
He was just taking off his buoyancy aid when the adult came over and started shouting at DS about being a peeve hanging around young children.
DS is autistic and struggles to explain himself at the best of times but cannot react when faced with confrontation - he just freezes.
I asked DS if he had anything to say to me (this works and I’d seen him by the children) and he explained the above so I said to the woman “he was just being cautious and making sure they were ok”.
The kids came over hysterical at the woman shouting and said DS was just checking they were ok.
She told DS she has his photo and is reporting to the police so ds is rightly terrified. (I don’t think the police will care as no crime has been commited!)
A couple sat by is piped up at this point and told her to “fuck off as the only drama that’s happened has been her hissy fit” 🤣
AIBU to think DS did the right thing, she isn’t reporting to anyone and some people just like to create problems where none exist. And she probably actually felt guilty it took someone else to make sure her kids were safe.