The RNLI has reminded everyone that it is essential to stay safe during the spell of hot weather.
Lifeguards remain in place at Coldingham Bay and at Silver Sands on weekends only for a large part of this month before standing down for the winter.
Water Safety Lead for the RNLI in Scotland, Michael Avril said: “With the warm weather forecast this week, we want to remind everyone to stay safe when visiting the coast.
“The peak season has now finished for RNLI lifeguards in Scotland, with our current lifeguard service only available at Silver Sands in Aberdour and Coldingham Bay in the Scottish Borders on the weekends, so we’re asking people to continue to take care and be aware of the dangers. Even though we’re experiencing warmer weather, it’s important to remember that the water is still significantly colder than the temperature outside.
“If you are planning on swimming at a lifeguarded beach, we highly recommend you swim between the red and yellow flags as this is the safest area and is most closely monitored by lifeguards.
“If you can, swim with others and stay close together. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live. Tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then call for help or swim to safety if you can.
“If you see someone in difficulty on the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
Only last weekend beachgoers, and in particular those on stand up paddle boards at Coldingham Bay kept the RNLI busy. The lifeguards entered the water three times to bring people back to safety.
Senior Lifeguard Rose McTavish said: “In an offshore wind, Coldingham Bay can feel very sheltered, but as you move further out of shelter the wind can increase in strength. It can be very hard to paddle against, making getting back to shore difficult or even impossible.
“As we’re only here during the weekends in September, and the weather is forecast to be warm this week we’d like to remind paddleboarders to be prepared. Always wear a leash and buoyancy aid, a wetsuit can keep you warm if you fall in the water. Carry a waterproofed means of calling for help and avoid offshore winds. In any coastal emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
In 2022 the RNLI as a whole saw a 126% increase in the number of call outs to paddleboarding incidents. In the past 5 years this number has increased 422% with 77 paddleboarder’s lives being saved, 32 last year alone.
For more information on paddleboards and how to keep safe, visit the RNLI’s paddleboarding safety page here.
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