Warm weather, cold water: Cornwall’s open-water warning

You have found the perfect spot. The sun is out, the water looks inviting, and jumping straight in feels like the obvious thing to do. That is exactly the moment South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust wants you to stop and think.

Their message for anyone heading to the water in Cornwall this summer is a simple one. Warm weather does not always mean warm water.

Why warm air does not mean warm water

A hot day on the coast or beside a river can be misleading. The air might be warm, but rivers, lakes and the sea stay cold well below the surface, and cold water shock can catch out even strong, confident swimmers. That sudden gasp when you hit cold water can make you breathe in at the worst possible moment, and it can happen in seconds.

Strong currents add to the risk. They can pull you away from where you started far quicker than you expect, and they do not care how good a swimmer you are.

What can be hiding beneath the surface

The danger with open water is that you cannot see what is under it. The ambulance service points to several things that can be waiting out of sight:

• Strong currents
• Cold water shock
• Hidden rocks and submerged objects
• Weeds and sudden drops in depth

It is the reason paramedics urge people to think twice before jumping or diving into open water. You never know what is beneath the surface, and a shallow-looking pool or a familiar swimming hole can hide a rock, a submerged object or a sudden change in depth.

How to stay safe near the water

The advice is not to stay away, it is to be sensible about where and how you go in. Choose a safe place to swim, preferably one with lifeguards on duty. Look out for one another while you are in or near the water, and make sure you know what to do in an emergency before you need to.

And if someone is seriously injured or in immediate danger, call 999.

📷Young athletic man paddling on a SUP stand up paddle board in blue water sea in Montenegro