NSRI are urging the public to take heed of our Spring Tide Safety Warning.
The coastline is now experiencing the effect of the Full Moon Spring Tide that peaks on Wednesday, 6th of September, and the effects of this Spring Tide will continue into the coming weekend.
Spring Tide happens twice every month, at Full Moon and again at New Moon.
Spring Tide causes a higher than normal high tide, a lower than normal low tide and stronger than normal rip-currents.
There are two high tides and two low tides each day. During a Spring Tide areas along the shoreline that are not normally swamped by waves at high tide are swamped by waves often catching people who are standing along the shoreline off-guard.
During the outgoing tide the rip-currents are strongest but at any time bathers should be aware that rip currents form at different places along the shoreline constantly and rip-currents remain one of the greatest causes of drowning accidents around our coast.
Spring Tides, at this time of the year, are further affected by rough winter sea conditions.
In particular anglers fishing from the shoreline, public members going to the sea side to walk along the shoreline, shoreline hikers, bathers, boaters and paddlers need to be aware that the Spring Tide poses a danger to the sea going public around the coast and extreme caution is advised.
The next Spring Tide happens around New Moon on the 20th October and then again around the school vacation the Full Moon Spring Tide on 5th October.
The effects of a Spring Tide can be noticed from a few days before the full moon and new moon peak and last for a few days following the peak.
NSRI urge boaters and paddlers to load the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx cellphone App onto their cellphones and use the app when launching to go to sea – NSRI RSA SafeTrx can be found on our web page www.nsri.org.za.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE