Crantock’s rip currents are catching people out this week

You could stand at the top of Crantock beach right now, look at a sea that seems calm and inviting, and have no idea that the water in front of you is pulling harder than it usually does. That is the warning from Crantock Surf Life Saving Club, which is urging anyone heading to the beach this week to take extra care.

The reason is the tide. Large spring tides are running, and they have made rip currents at Crantock stronger and more widespread than normal. Both the RNLI lifeguards and the club’s own volunteer patrol have already been called to a number of incidents on the beach this week, and the club says it cannot stress enough how quickly the currents there can catch people out.

Why Crantock is different right now

A rip current is a strong, narrow flow of water heading back out to sea. At Crantock the picture is complicated by the Gannel Estuary, whose river channel shifts across the sand and changes where the danger sits from one visit to the next.

The club has pointed to three hotspots this week. The first is the mouth of the Gannel Estuary at the north end of the beach, where strong tidal currents can carry people out to sea quickly. The second is the middle of the beach, where the river has moved and is creating changing rip currents. The third is the south end, alongside the rocks below Bowgie, where a rip is also prevalent.

The club has posted a video showing the main areas of concern so people can see for themselves where the trouble spots are. And the point it keeps coming back to is that a calm-looking sea is no reassurance. Rip currents can be powerful even when the surface looks flat, and they are often hard to spot.

Before you get in the water

The club’s advice starts on the sand. Swim between the red and yellow flags when lifeguards are on duty, and check the tide, surf and weather conditions before you go in. If you are not sure where it is safe, ask a lifeguard. And near the water, keep children within arm’s reach.

If a rip current catches you

The instinct is to swim straight back to the beach against the pull. Do not fight it. The club’s advice is to stay calm, float to live, and raise your hand for help. If you are able to, wade or swim parallel to the shore until you are clear of the current, then head in.

If you see someone else in difficulty, the message is firm: do not go in after them. Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

The club is asking people to share its warning rather than keep it to themselves. As it puts it, spreading the word could be what stops someone getting into difficulty this summer.