Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf

Don’t rush in, writes Coalcliff’s Prof Rob Brander

You probably heard about some of the terrible beach drownings this summer involving fathers trying to save their child, usually caught in a rip current. These ‘bystander’ drownings involve any member of the public, be they family, friend or stranger, who attempts to rescue someone in distress. While many of these rescues are successful, too often it is the bystander rescuer who ends up drowning.

An average of five people drown each year in Australian coastal waters trying to rescue others. So far we’ve reached that total in NSW alone and there’s a lot of the year left.

What would you do in that situation? These drownings are tragic, but have the potential to be avoided with some simple advice.

If you see someone in trouble, even if it’s your child, don’t rush in. Fight the urge to run to the water and swim as fast as you can. You’re already panicking and likely exhausted when you reach your child, if you even get there in the first place. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Instead, when you notice someone in trouble, take 10 seconds or so to THINK. Get someone to get a lifeguard or lifesaver if they are further away on the beach, get the attention of a surfer (if there are any around) and get someone to call 000 (if you can get reception). But you must seek help.

Then look for something nearby that floats.

A boogie board, esky or a ball will do. If you can’t swim, don’t go in, but throw as many of these things into the rip current (if they are caught in a rip) as possible as there’s a chance they’ll reach the person in trouble and give them something to hold onto.

But if you are going to go in yourself, bring that flotation device with you as it will give both you and the person you are trying to rescue something to hold onto. Research backs this up – 97% of the 67 bystander rescuer fatalities between 2004 and 2019 did not bring a flotation device with them.

There’s other things to think about. Never go in fully clothed. If you have bathers on, great, if not, strip down to your underwear as it’s not a time for modesty.

Always try and remain calm. Don’t sprint when running or swimming and be careful when you reach the person as they will see you as something to grab onto.

Finally, it’s important to realise that the person in trouble is probably not panicking as much as you think they are and, in the case of rip currents, there’s a good chance the rip flow will circulate them back into shallow water anyway.

But whatever you do, don’t just rush in.

Have a question?

Email rbrander@unsw.edu.au