A SENSE of bravado, over-confidence, alcohol, showing off to friends – there are lots of reasons why teenagers and young men fall prey to the dangers of rips at beaches.
Those aged 15-39 years are statistically the most likely to get caught and die in rips, and two-out-of-three people who think they can identify rips are wrong.
Surf Life Saving Australia points out that more people drown in rips each year than deaths from shark attacks, floods and cyclones combined.
And it’s not only tourists who get caught in rips and drown with only 15 per cent of those dying being international visitors.
Carrum Surf Life Saving Club secretary Ben Rooks urged people to know how to spot the signs of rips on the eve of the summer swimming season, which kicks off around the bay at noon on Saturday (12 November).
“You can be very confident in the water and still get into trouble in rips,” he said.
“And that’s especially so in the festive season when high spirits and alcohol play a part and especially young people have an ‘It can’t happen to me’ attitude.”
He urges beachgoers to “watch out for the signs” of a rip, such as calmer waters in between rough, white water sections, or river mouths, such as the Patterson River at Carrum.
“People often start swimming next to the river but then find themselves in the channel in deeper water.
“Patterson Lakes is a complex system with a great volume of water and, even on days of little wind, there are strong currents and drop-offs where swimmers can suddenly find themselves over their heads.
“They panic and then their mates try to help and, pretty soon, a whole group is in trouble.”
The river mouth is a known trouble spot. Last year six swimmers were saved in the one mass rescue and, the year before, soon after lifesavers had called it a day, another group was rescued by fishermen who heard their cries for help.
Beachgoers are urged to swim between the flags, or in front of the clubhouse if lifesavers are not on duty. It is safer between the no-boating signs.
“No one has ever drowned while swimming between the red and yellow flags in Victoria,” Mr Rooks said.
He reminded swimmers caught in rips to raise an arm and call out for help or float with the current which may put them on a shallow sandbank, or swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves, which may return them to shore.
Carrum Life Savings Club will hold its opening for the swimming season on Saturday, noon-5.30pm.
The young Nippers group also starts on Saturday.
New members aged 13-60 are welcome at the club for a range of duties and activities.
“We are 100 per cent volunteer and anyone who would like to join is welcome.”
Call 9776 0504 or see carrumslsc.com for details.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 9 November 2016
