Swimming - Our Seasonal Safety Tips
Planning a sea swim or cold water dip this festive season?
HM Coastguard is calling on open-water swimmers and
cold-water dippers to be prepared and follow safety advice before entering the
sea this Christmas.
In a year when swimming pools have largely been closed, there has been a significant increase in people enjoying open-water swimming and cold-water dipping. There's also been an increase of nearly 80% (79.81%) in calls for HM Coastguard's help for swimming-related incidents - up from 436 between January and November 2019 to 784 for the same period in 2020.
Swimming in the sea is a tradition for
many over Christmas and New Year but many organised
events with safety marshalls have been called off this
year. We are keen that the ever-growing number of swimmers and dippers are
aware of the risks and know how to enjoy the activity safely, especially during
the winter season.
Advice for cold-water dippers and open-water swimmers:
·
Don’t swim
alone
·
Check the
weather forecast and tide times
·
Ensure
you have warm clothes for before and after your dip
·
Wearing a
wetsuit will help increase your buoyancy and reduce the chances of suffering
cold water shock
·
Be seen –
wear a brightly coloured swim cap and consider using a tow float
·
Acclimatise
to the water temperature slowly – never jump straight in
·
Stay in
your depth and know your limits
·
If you
get into trouble remember FLOAT to live by leaning back in the water, extending
your arms and legs, and resisting the urge to thrash around to gain control of
your breathing
·
Take a
mobile phone in a waterproof pouch
·
If in
doubt, stay out – there is always another day to go for a swim
·
If you or
someone else gets into trouble at sea or along the
coast call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Coastal Operations Area Commander Matt Pavitt said: “Many people find that swimming in the sea and cold water dipping has physical and mental health benefits but please remember these activities can also result in cold water shock which is extremely dangerous.
“Cold
water shock is a risk when the water temperature is 15
degrees Celsius and below. Our average sea temperature around the UK
is just 6-10 degrees Celsius in the winter and the shock of
cold water can catch out even the fittest
and strongest of swimmers.
“So we’re
asking everyone to be fully prepared before entering the
water and follow safety advice to stay as safe as possible.”
If you
see anyone in difficulty at the sea or along the
coast, please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. We’re on
call 24/7 all year round.