A young couple from Northern Ireland, John (28) and Lynette (26) Rodgers, who were married only six days before, drowned on Friday  in Plettenberg Bay, which is a picturesque area along the coast in Western Cape and very popular with tourists. They had just checked in in the Robberg Beach Lodge which is next to the beach, when they decided to take a swim, just after 5pm. A witness said the time of finding the bodies was 17h10.

It is thought that a freak wave overwhelmed the couple and dragged them into the strong rip currents, which tragically took their lives.

ref.: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk


(Photo from Rodgers family)

SCT:

It is so sad to read this. Safe Coastal Tourism urges touristic stakeholders at coastal destinations to do a proper risk assessment of the sea in their area and to warn tourists about the dangers of the sea, especially about rip currents. Information and warnings are readily available on the internet. This Tuesday (27/10) it is full moon, meaning more strong rip-currents. The following can be read on the website of  NSRI:

Spring Tide happens twice every month, at full moon and at new moon.

Spring Tides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide, causing stronger than normal rip currents, for a few days leading up to the full moon OR new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon OR new moon and lasting for a few days after the full moon OR new moon.

There are two high tides and two low tides every day. During Spring Tide the twice daily high tides are higher than normal and the twice daily low tides are lower than normal and while rip currents are always present and dangerous the Spring Tide creates stronger than normal rip currents and hence the danger is increased.

Rip Currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells and sea currents needs to find a way to retreat back into the sea and this is achieved in rip currents (a river of water retreating through the incoming swells back out into the sea).

There are two types of rip currents, permanent rip currents, found alongside islands, rocky outcrops jutting into the sea, at river mouths, in between reefs and alongside harbour walls and piers, are found constantly occurring in the same place allowing the water reaching the shoreline to retreat back into the sea in the permanent rip current. Temporary rip currents, found along beach fronts (along the shoreline), are forever changing their position and are unpredictable and can form suddenly along a beach front without warning at different places along the shore front throughout the day.

During Spring Tide these permanent rip currents and temporary rip currents are stronger than normal and although rip currents at all times pose a danger to bathers they pose the greatest danger during the Spring Tide.

Bathers are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming or wading in water along the beach front. Even bathers wading in shallow water who find themselves trapped in a rip current that forms suddenly are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents.

Swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty and obey the instructions of the lifeguards and only swim within the safe swimming zones lifeguards mark (using their red and yellow flags).

If you want to know at what dates it is full moon or new moon check this site: http://windreport.co.za/page_ecape.shtml