Don’t know how to spot a rip? Not even sure what a rip is?
The importance of swimming between the flags will be highlighted with a number of simultaneous sea-dye demonstrations in the Eurobodalla shire over the Christmas period.
From 10am on New Year’s Day and on Friday, January, 5, 2018, colourful sea-dye will be released at Surf Beach, Batemans Bay; Malua Bay Beach, South Broulee Beach, North Head Moruya, South Head Moruya, Main Beach Tuross Head, Dalmeny and Narooma surf beach.
Lifeguard Services Australia, Surf Lifesaving Australia and Eurobodalla Shire Council have partnered for the exercise, which will use sea dye to identify dangerous rip currents at eight popular Eurobodalla beaches.
According to Surf Life Saving Australia, rips are the number one danger swimmers face at the beach. Each year, rip currents are directly responsible for thousands of rescues and on average more than 20 drownings across the country.
Eurobodalla Lifeguard Services chief executive officer Stan Wall said the demonstration seeks to highlight the importance of swimming between the flags at patrolled beaches.
“To help raise public awareness we will release dye into the water at 10am to highlight the path of rips so people can clearly see how the rip currents travel.
“Local lifeguards will be there at each beach to explain what the currents and rips are doing as the dye spreads.”
Mr Wall said the eight beaches were chosen due to their popularity.
“We’re encouraging locals and visitors to come down and have a look,” Mr Wall said.
“The message is clear: Be rip aware and swim between the flags at patrolled beaches this summer.”
The initiative aims to improve surf safety by educating beachgoers about how dangerous rip currents flow.
The sea dye is environmentally safe, and was developed by Australian Department of Defence scientists as a safe and longer lasting alternative to flares and smoke signals for search and rescue at sea. https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/innovation/seamark
