Safe exercising at the coast
Many
people visit the coast to enjoy their hobbies and passions including diving,
kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, surfing and swimming but HM Coastguard is
asking you to refrain from visiting the coast.
Even
if you’re local or travelling within the national guidelines, we’d really urge
you to consider whether you’re putting our search and rescue family at risk and
also potentially putting avoidable pressure on the NHS.
Daily
exercise is permitted but should be carried out under national guidance. If
people travel from further afield to visit the coast and large numbers gather,
social distancing becomes difficult to maintain.
The
Government advice remains clear: Everyone should #StayHomeSaveLives.
Assistant Director of Coastguard Operations Pete Mizen said: “HM Coastguard continues working hard to keep you safe at
sea and at the coast during the Covid-19 lockdown but you can help us to keep
you safe by only leaving your home when absolutely necessary.
“Our
beautiful beaches, coasts and the sea will all still be there waiting for us to
enjoy when safety measures are lifted.
“Every 999 call made could put our
frontline responders at risk of #COVID-19 and places avoidable pressure on our vital NHS
services. You might think nothing will go wrong while you’re out but there is
no guarantee and we ask you to think seriously about the unintended
consequences of what could happen if something went wrong.
“As we know, all too well, the sea
can be a dangerous place for even the most experienced swimmer, kayaker, diver
or surfer.”