IN & UNDA DE SEA
oCEAN ADVENTURES
currents A QUICKIE ON
Currents
Beachy Beach Tips!
Barbados is well known for its stunning - and top ranked, white, sandy beaches enchanting, warm and oh so inviting. But a fantastic day at the beach can easily turn sour with sunburn, dehydration and poor awareness of your environment. So before you go…
1
Consider an umbrella, broadrimmed hat, cover up and sunglasses between the peak sun hours of 10am and 2pm.
2
Liming at the beach can often involve caffeinated beverages and at times alcohol, but don’t forget your water. Experts suggest that individuals should have close to 1 liter of water for every hour that is spent in the sun.
3
Beautiful, sunny, tropical days are fantastic but use an (SPF) 15 or higher, with UVA & UVB protection that’s sweat and water proof, on all akin types. We suggest 30 minutes before you head
36 | Caribbean Dreams
out, with reapplication every two hours, especially if you are sweating or swimming. Oh! Don’t forget the special sunblock for your lips either.
4
If you can’t swim you should visit beaches with lifeguards and look for red flags which indicate strong currents and bigger waves.
5
Enjoy water sports safely - It might sound obvious but avoid boogie boarding, swimming or surfing in waves that don’t match your capabilities.
6
Be mindful of Manchineel trees which are sometimes found on the beach (usually marked with red paint) they carry a small fruit similar to a crab apple – DO NOT touch or eat this fruit! It is poisonous! In fact even standing under this tree during the rain can be hazardous, as dripping water from the tree can blister the skin and cause injury to the eyes.
Barbados’ beaches are typically safe but occasionally strong current or rip currents can occur. You would never have experienced currents, riptides and undertow in a pool or lake so be careful. Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving belts of water traveling offshore; they can occur at any beach with breaking waves. While it is very difficult to see rip currents, one can still be cautious - look for: - look for: A channel of churning, choppy water moving out to sea. A line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily seaward.
If you get caught in a Rip Current
• Don’t panic, instead conserve your energy, try to float and let it take you out. • Swim parallel to the beach to beach to get out of the current and swim back at a 45-degree angle to avoid getting caught in the current again. If you are having trouble getting back, float or tread water, then yell or wave your arms to attract attention. • ONLY attempt to help someone if you have a floatation device such as a surf board, boogie board or something large enough to accommodate two people.