Beach Fun and Beach Perils…..
July 4th, 2008 Categories: Neighbor Helping Neighbor
This summer (or any day for that matter) we will go to the beach for a fun time in the water and sun.
But one has to be vigilant, especially if you have young children accompanying you to the beach.
Rip currents; sting rays and hitting the bottom after a wave hit can be trying moments.
Rip Currents. These are powerful channels of water that can pull swimmers (even strong swimmers) from shore.
These currents look like choppy brown rivers flowing out to sea. Swimmers should not panic or exhaust themselves by swimming against these currents. Rather they should escape the current by moving parallel to the shore as illustrated in the picture below.
And of course Mother Nature can introduce some other surprises.
The Sting Ray.
Sting rays will at times bury themselves in the sand, close to the shore line. When walking the shore line shuffle your feet to scare them off. If you do get stung get medical attention quickly.
Fire Rings (not Mother Nature but a Man Made surprise).
Fire rings are coals that have been smoldering over a period of time (usually 24 hours) and are the result of a campfire. Often what happens is that the individuals do take precautions to make sure the coals have been extinguished. But what appears to be out and dead may in fact still have some spark left. If not covered completely by sand or doused with water these coals can ignite again and harm a walker or child playing in the sand. So kids in particular have to be careful of where they step or play in the sand.
Body surfing.
We all enjoy body surfing, or simply walk the surf. But there can be safety issues involved if one is not aware of what the ocean is doing.
Small waves pack tremendous power. These waves can drive a person down into the ocean floor. Serious neck and spinal cord injuries can be a result of being hit with a wave. So swimmers have to be careful when diving head first in the shallows of the ocean. And walkers have to be careful not to be swept up in a wave. Be aware and prepared.
For more details of safety tips, visit the Project Wipeout website sponsored by a Newport Beach hospital at: www.hoaghospital.org/projectwipeout.html. A great portion of this article was premised on this source.
Your comments are welcomed.
