Here comes Summer! Who doesn’t love the coast? Salty air, sandy toes, sunny skin and happy smiles. But have you ever thought about what to do in an emergency at the beach?
With so much FUN to be had on holiday, safety is easily overlooked yet on paper the beach and sea could be deemed a pretty unsavoury place; millions of tons of pounding water, sinking sand and mud flats, cliff edges, potential rock falls, pools to drown in, shells and glass to cut feet on, not to mention stinging creatures and sunburn..
But don’t be put off!
Welcome to my fun new series on things to do at the beach starting with safety first; this comprehensive family safety guide shares top tips on how to stay safe at the beach with kids and the dog, including jellyfish stings, rip tide survival and even doggy sunblock!
Here’s how to keep your family beach and sea safe: –
1. Dial 999 for The Coastguard
Above all, know who to call If the worst happens – if it’s beach, coast or sea, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. They will contact other emergency services if necessary.
2. Choose a Beach With Lifeguards
Marine Conservation Society has a list of all UK lifeguarded beaches, click the link and add your postcode. The list also includes clean blue flag and dog friendly beaches etc.
3. Know Your Water Safety Flags
Lifeguarded beaches use coloured flags to identify safe areas for bathing, surfing and watersports. It’s no good if you don’t know what they mean..
Red flag – NO swimming
Red & yellow striped flag – safe to swim and body board between flags
Black & white chequered flag – NO swimming, area for surfing and windsurfing only
Additionally a green flag (rarely seen) means low hazard, and a white and blue flag at sea indicates divers are below the surface in this location.
4. Identify & Escape Rip Currents
Rip tides (also known as rip currents or undertow) are a major coastal hazard for bathers and surfers. They are hard to identify so the best UK advice is to stick to lifeguarded beaches and keep within the flags.
If you do get caught in a rip then float, don’t fight it and see the detailed advice on how to escape a rip current and learn to identify them, in my rip tide survival guide, where you can sign up for a free rip tide safety printable.
⚠️ Show the whole family so everyone knows the procedure if they get caught in a rip. ⚠️
5. Water Shock
If you fall into open water (off a cliff or harbour wall say, as opposed to being caught in a rip when you’re already in the sea) you should try to stay calm and float for 90 seconds. This helps the body adjust to the water temperature and allow water shock to dissipate. Read the science from the RNLI Float to Live campaign.
NB – this is REALLY HARD! I tested the theory in the North Sea recently, during the heatwave, which I chose to be in rather than having fallen in(!).
Trying to relax and float for 90 seconds while feeling blooming cold is a real challenge. Try it next time you’re at the sea, it will help it stick in your head in case you ever need to do it in earnest!
6. Tide Times
Knowing if the tide is going in or out should be a major factor when choosing to enter the sea whether swimming, surfing, boating or diving.
Always check the tide times when visiting the beach, especially when walking the coastline.
7. Weather
Weather can change quickly at the coast so check the forecast before you leave the house.
8. Inflatables
Never use inflatables in strong winds or rough seas. Only use them in sheltered water, rockpools etc and if you must use them in open sea with children, attach a long rope to the inflatable anchored to an adult on shore.
9. Quicksand/Mud
If you get stuck in quicksand or mud do not stand up.
Lie down, spread your weight, shout for help and try to move slowly towards shore with a breaststroke action or lie and await help.
10. Stings
Keep your eyes open for jellyfish and weaver fish which give a nasty sting. Waterproof shoes or wetsuit boots are great foot protection when swimming or walking in rock pools and watch for dogs getting stung too.
NB – anecdotal information from a reader suggests that applying vinegar to jellyfish stings neutralises the sting quickly. Worth trying if hot water fails. Weaver fish stings can’t be calmed with much except hot water though.
How to Treat a Jellyfish or Weaver Fish Sting
- Seek help from a lifeguard if possible
- Rinse the sting area with seawater, remove any spines if still embedded
- Soak the area in the hottest water you can bear for 30 minutes – use hot towels or flannels if you can’t soak e.g. a sting on the stomach
- Take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen if needed
Read the NHS guidelines on when to seek medical attention for stings.
11. Dogs at The Beach
Choose a dog friendly beach – not all beaches allow dogs and some only at certain times of year
Fresh water – always take fresh drinking water and a bowl for your dog
Salt water poisoning – drinking salt water is dangerous for both humans and dogs. Most dogs won’t touch it but if yours is daft enough to try, please stop it in time!
Ingested sand – this can block a dog’s intestines and cause serious harm requiring veterinary treatment. Try to avoid your dog eating sand (though I know from our pooch’s post-beach poops that this can be unavoidable. To date he’s not suffered from any accidentally eaten sand whilst retrieving tennis balls but other dogs might!)
Consider sun cream! – our Aussie neighbours put sunblock on the sensitive area of their Collie’s nose to avoid burning and potential melanoma (common in animals in Australia). Worth considering if your dog has a thin or patchy coat
Useful Links
Kids of the Wild Rip Tide Survival Guide
RNLI National Drowning Prevention Campaign
Coastguard Safety Campaign
Follow the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on Facebook
Beach Safety Guidelines Overview
- Remember 999 for the Coastguard
- Don’t forget the suncream!
- Check the weather
- Check tide times
- Choose a lifeguarded beach
- Know your flags
- Avoid rip currents
- Learn how to escape a rip tide
- Secure inflatables to an adult on shore
- Keep a safe distance from cliff edges to avoid falls
Don’t miss the rest of this great series on Things to Do at The Beach – sign up to Kids of the Wild now and receive every new post via email, or follow us on Facebook.
Forthcoming articles include a surfing birthday party, shipwrecks, sea glass, rocky shore safaris, snorkelling, Goggling(!), coastal jobs, wetsuit reviews, scuba diving, wildlife, the RNLI, days out, crafts, beachcombing. puffins, whales, seals and litter picks.
It’s going to be a great summer at the seaside. Enjoy and stay safe!
Thanks for this, ashamed to say we live near the coast and I didn’t know some of these things, but I am careful about the tides and the kids swimming in the sea here.
Glad to hear it will be useful. And check out the rip tide survival guide too. That’s been the most useful learning for me!
I will do thanks 🙂
This is really useful, thank you. My kids are just starting to gain a bit of confidence in the water so I need to be really careful at the beach this summer. We’re hwading to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly so it’ll be beach every day!
Great to hear it will be useful for you and hopefully lots of other families and beach users over the summer. Enjoy your holidays, sounds like you’ll have loads of fun. I’ve not been to the Isles of Scilly yet. Thanks for reading
Great post, really useful. I never knew about salt water and dogs so I’m so glad I read this!
Thanks Green Mum! Fidge usually has a taste of the sea to check and then leaves it alone, most dogs do but some are just daft so it’s worth keeping an eye, especially a dog you’re fostering and don’t know so well. I’d be interested to get Green Dad’s feedback on the rip tide post too please, in case I’ve missed anything or it’s not clear. Thanks! x
Really useful information there. Thank you. Looking forward to the up and coming posts too.
#adventurecalling
Thanks Lauren, such a perfect summer so far to run this series!
These are such useful tips for a safe trip to the beach. Knowing what to look out for and what to do if you find yourself in danger is so important. #countrykids
Thanks Louise, hopefully useful for lots of families over the summer
What a great guide Lucy. Growing up and living in Australia we tend to take these things as given. I really noticed a lack of awareness of water safety when we were living in the UK and so I am very happy to share this far and wide. Thanks for joining us on #FarawayFiles
Interestingly some of the pics on my associated rip tide survival post are from an Australian ex-lifeguard! I’ll be sorting out badges on my site soon and will add yours then.
This is a very handy post for keeping safe on the beach. You raise many points that I was previously unaware of. #CountryKids
It’s funny how we take it all for granted but don’t think about what we’d do in an emergency or unusual situation. I thought it would be good to have it all in one place.
These are some really useful beach safety tips, Lucy. I didn’t know about the quicksand tip before and I’ve never heard of using sun cream on a dog before either! Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Thanks Clare, I hadn’t heard of the dog suncream either, I’ve got my neighbours to thank for that one, apparently it’s big in Australia. Great to join the linky
This is such a good guide. I honestly don’t know my flags and I find this article really useful. You never know when you’ll need it right. Thank you so much! x
Thanks for the feedback Su, it’s good to know it’s been helpful already. Hoping to reach lots of families over the summer. X
Such good advice. It’s the flags that sometimes flummox me – I really should get to know them a little better. Thanks for joining us on #adventurecalling
Such a great post with so much useful information. I love the ebach, but there’s so much to worry about when you add young kids into the mix. I didn’t know what all the flags meant, so that’s great to know. Thanks so much for sharing #AdventureCalling
Great to have provided something useful and to get people thinking more about beach safety!
What a brilliant post and great timing now the summer holidays are upon us. I didn’t know the different flags so that’s been really helpful. Safety is so important at the beach! Thanks so much for linking up to #wanderlustkids
Great linky to be part of, thanks for hosting, and glad the info is helpful. Hopefully it will reach lots of families over the summer.