The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has warned the public to be cautious when visiting the ocean because the full-moon Spring tide peaks today, Friday 5 May, causing higher-than-normal high tides and lower-than-normal low tides.
Spring tides are known to cause stronger-than-normal rip currents, and risks are normally increased at the tide change – when the high-tide peak recedes towards low tide. There are two high tides and two low tides daily, and times are slighter later on each following day.
“Even though summer weather conditions appear to prevail,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon, “winter seas are building, and this is causing our coastline to experience some rough seas at times.
“Bathers, paddlers, sailors, shoreline anglers, recreational and commercial boaters are urged to have safety top of mind.
“We are also appealing to parents to ensure children have responsible adult supervision in and around water – at coastal waters, inland waters, swimming pools or any body of water.”
Lambinon emphasised it is important to be extremely cautious in and around the ocean over the weekend and the early part of net week as the Spring-tide effects on the coastline will gradually recede into the middle of the new week.
“Then, with two shark incidents this past week, we are appealing to bathers and sea users to exercise caution when swimming, surfing, paddling and sail boarding,” he added.
