How to Stay Safe on the Beach this Summer

Knowledge is an important part of evaluating adventure risk – we want to have fun and explore without putting ourselves or anyone else in danger. Not the most exciting, but definitely the most important, this is what not to do when swimming in the ocean – even if it means you don’t get that perfect Insta shot.

In summer 2023/24, coastal drownings went up almost 15% on the ten-year average. There were 54 drownings and over 6,000 rescues around Australia. Surf Life Saving Australia says all drowning deaths were on unpatrolled beaches or outside patrolled hours, so it seems like we could all brush up on our ocean safety know-how.

Know what to do ahead of time to avoid the worst

Surf Life Saving Australia

Surf Life Saving Clubs (SLSC) are the backbone of Aussie beach culture. From the balconies that you drink beer on, to the fiercely competitive races, and the lifeguards that patrol the beaches, surf life saving shapes the Australian beach experience in many different ways.

I caught up with the crew from Cudgen SLSC and Point Danger SLSQ to find out how to swim safely on our beautiful, but somewhat deadly, beaches and creeks.

What is a rip and why are they important?

Rip currents are by far the most dangerous thing about swimming on the beach. Surf Life Saving Australia estimates two-thirds of people can’t spot a rip on the beach and rips were responsible for almost half of the drownings in the summer of 2023/24.

Rips (or rip currents) are channels where the water that’s been pushed onto the beach in waves, flows back out to sea.

It flows extremely fast and can drag unsuspecting swimmers out of their depth or into crashing waves and rocks.

There can be multiple rips on one beach and they change position and direction so you have to continuously evaluate the conditions. When looking for a rip from the sand, look for darker and deeper water with fewer breaking waves, or rippling water with a flat area around it.

‘We have drones that can monitor the changing water conditions and we’re continually evaluating the risks in our patrolled areas’, Adam Mills, President of Cudgen Surf Life Saving Club tells me.

‘The technology is evolving and Surf Live Saving Australia are looking into drones with infrared that can help search for missing people in the water, as well as a speaker so you can talk to them and keep them calm until help arrives. Drones are even being developed with a payload so they can drop a self-inflating buoy to someone in trouble.

Things like remote-controlled rescue devices which we can launch directly off the beach are also in development — It’s a very exciting time with new advances. Very different to when we started in 1922 when they used a reel and a hook to pull people out of the water,’ Adam tells me.

The first life savers at Cudgen in 1922

If you end up in a rip current and feel yourself being taken out deeper into the ocean, there are a few things you can do. Try not to panic, see if you can touch the bottom and stand. If you can, walk parallel to the beach until you‘re out of the rip.

If the water is too deep and you’re on a patrolled beach, raise (but don’t wave) your hands and shout for help. If you’re not on a patrolled beach it’s still worth a shot, a passerby may be able to phone for help or throw in an angel ring from the beach.

While waiting for help, there are two things you can try to get yourself out of trouble – either float with the current and see if it washes you back to shallower water where you can stand, or out past the breaking waves so you don’t get dumped repeatedly.

You can also try to swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves until you get out of the rip current and then let the waves push you back to shore. Don’t try to swim towards the beach (against the current) as you will tire very quickly and likely get washed further out.

Tides – Is there a safer time of day to swim in the ocean?

‘Whether you’re swimming in the creek or the ocean, the best time of the day to swim is exactly on high tide just before the tide turns and goes out again,’ Adam tells me. ‘This is because the waves are faster on an incoming tide, dumpier at low tide, and the rips are the strongest on an outgoing tide.’

Sharks –  The 411

The thing most people are likely afraid of when swimming at Australian beaches – but realistically the thing least likely to kill you – are sharks. In recent years, there’s been a lot of investment in shark tag and release programmes as well as drone monitoring. You can even check for shark activity on an app. If a shark is spotted in the area, the lifeguards will clear the water until it’s safe to return.

The most effective thing you can do to avoid getting nibbled by a Great White is to check conditions before you get in the water. Don’t swim at dawn or dusk when sharks are more active. Don’t swim in murky water or on overcast days where you could be mistaken for a tasty marine animal.

‘Look out for bait balls, mullet runs, or diving sea birds’, Adam tells me. ‘This could mean sharks are close by.’

Only about 15 people are bitten by sharks in Australia each year, and on average only about 10% of those people die from their injuries.

Of the 69 unprovoked shark attacks globally in 2023, 15 occurred in Australia. This is compared to the 54 people in Australia that drowned in the ocean last summer alone, and the 1266 people who died in road accidents in 2023. So make sure to wear your seatbelt on the way to the beach, and try not to give our toothy friends too much thought.

Is this a sensible thing to do? Evaluating Risk

Sometimes you turn up to a beach or a creek and you can’t wait to jump in for a dose of vitamin-sea, but… is it sensible?

The safest place to swim is a patrolled beach between the red and yellow flags.

These swimmers got the memo!

But if you’re in an unpatrolled area of the coast or creek, you’ll need to evaluate the weather and water conditions yourself to decide if it’s safe to swim. Just because you’ve seen people swimming or posing for photos online, doesn’t mean it’s a safe place to get in the water. Before entering a body of water, you should:

STOP to check for rips. LOOK for other dangers. PLAN how to stay safe.

Evaluating conditions just for a few seconds could keep you, your family, and your friends safe.

When you go in the ocean without first asking yourself if it’s safe, you put not only your life, but the life of your loved ones in danger, as all too often people drown when they try to rescue someone else.

Should I try to rescue someone and how?

On average around five people a year drown trying to rescue someone else.

The best thing you can do is call for help and try to do a ‘non-contact’ rescue by throwing a rope, reaching with a pole, or using a float/inflatable to swim out to the person if it’s safe to do so.

There are projects around Australia providing more rescue rings/Angel Rings and inflatable devices on unpatrolled beaches to aid bystander rescues.

Best to leave the rescuing to the professionals if your situation allows it

Know Your Limits

If it’s been a hot minute since your last ocean swim, or you aren’t a confident swimmer in the waves, it’s important to know your limits. And if you’ve had a few beachside brews, it might be best to keep to the sand – alcohol often contributes to ocean rescues.

Are creeks and rivers safer swimming options?

The short answer is no. They’re often unpatrolled, the current can be deceptively strong, and it’s often difficult to see what debris is under the surface.

Read more: Waterfall & Swimming Hole Safety

‘The messaging has always remained the same; swim between the red and yellow flags – if we can’t see you, we can’t save you’, says Jared Clarke, President of Point Danger SLSQ. ‘For anyone that’s swimming in creeks or rivers, never mix alcohol and swimming, and don’t swim on your own, always swim with a friend.’

Tip to Stay Safe When Swimming

1. Swim with a buddy
2. Make sure you have a phone with you to call for help
3. Even if it’s a beach you’re familiar with, keep checking conditions as they can change quickly
4. Keep kids within arms reach. Not only is this safer than watching them from the sand, but you’ll have way more family fun
5. Educate friends and family visiting from overseas or interstate about how to stay safe/ supervise their kids in the water
6. Download the Surf Life Saving Australia Beachsafe App to find a patrolled beach, check weather conditions, and learn more about staying safe in the water
7. STOP to check for rips. LOOK for other dangers. PLAN how to stay safe

Photos thanks to Surf Life Saving Australia