NSRI big tides warning: if you’re chasing sardines on the beaches or points today, read this carefully please…
??WARNING: FULL MOON MEANS STRONGER THAN NORMAL RIP CURRENTS? 05:30, 03|07|2023.
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?Full Moonrise today over SA: 13:38 (Info supplied by timeanddate.com)
The Moon can appear to be full a day before or after when more than 98% of the Moon’s disc is lit-up. That can make it tricky to tell the difference between a Full Moon and the last stage of a Waxing Gibbous Moon or the beginning of a Waning Gibbous Moon. However, TONIGHT will be the “official Full Moon”, and it will be a Supermoon, known as the “Buck Supermoon”.
?During a Supermoon the hazards associated with normal Full and New Moons are elevated. Very strong rip currents will be present around the coast today with a the possibility of sudden and freak waves along the coast over the next couple of days. Bathers and shoreline anglers are most at risk and extreme caution is advised.
Spring Tide happens twice every month, at full moon and at new moon. Spring Tides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide, causing stronger than normal rip currents. The most dangerous times are the few days leading up to the full moon and the new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon and new moon and lasting for a few days after the full moon OR new moon.
There are two high tides and two low tides every day. During Spring Tide the twice daily high tides are higher than normal and the twice daily low tides are lower than normal and while rip currents are always present and dangerous the Spring Tide creates stronger than normal rip currents and hence the danger is increased.
Rip Currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells and sea currents needs to find a way to retreat back into the sea and this is achieved in rip currents (a river of water retreating through the incoming swells back out into the sea). There are two types of rip currents, permanent rip currents, found alongside islands, rocky outcrops jutting into the sea, at river mouths, in between reefs and alongside harbour walls and piers, are found constantly occurring in the same place allowing the water reaching the shoreline to retreat back into the sea in the permanent rip current. Temporary rip currents, found along beach fronts (along the shoreline), are forever changing their position and are unpredictable and can form suddenly along a beach front without warning at different places along the shore front throughout the day.
During Spring Tide these permanent rip currents and temporary rip currents are stronger than normal and although rip currents at all times pose a danger to bathers they pose the greatest danger during the Spring Tide. Bathers are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming or wading in water along the beach front. Even bathers wading in shallow water who find themselves trapped in a rip current that forms suddenly are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents.
Bathers caught in a rip current should not panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water (moving your arms and legs in circular movements), don’t try to swim against the current as it will only cause you exhaustion and let the current sweep you out to sea but at your first opportunity swim parallel to the beach front until you are free of the rip current and then use the incoming waves to get back to shore. While this is happening shout for help and wave your arm to alert people on the beach to raise the alarm.
Swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty and obey the instructions of the lifeguards and only swim within the safe swimming zones lifeguards mark (using their red and yellow flags). Children should have responsible adult supervision at all times around coastal and inland waters and at swimming pools. Anglers fishing along the shoreline, particularly along rocks on the shoreline, are at greatest risk during the Spring Tide where incoming waves during the high tides engulf higher than normal over rocks. Anglers should not turn their back to the sea and should be vigilant and cautious of the wave action at all times while fishing.
Boaters, paddlers, sail boarders and anyone launching any kind of craft onto water should wear their life-jackets at all times while on water and carry easily accessible safety equipment – red distress flares, communications cellphone or VHF radio with fully charged batteries in water tight plastic sleeves, a waterproof torch, highly visible neon coloured clothing, a referee whistle worn around the neck, a silver emergency foil blanket, and let a responsible person know your time of departure, your exact intended route and your estimated return time, stick to your plans and check in with the responsible person on your safe return. (If you are overdue the responsible person should raise the alarm without hesitation).
?Credit to NSRI. TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELL PHONE. SMS 32287 with your name and a message of support for our Sea Rescue crew. SMS charged at R1.
Image credit: Google
?Know Your Weather, Know Your Risk.
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