From today it will be really hot. With temperatures between 27 and 30 degrees, many people are heading to the beach this weekend to cool off. That is not without danger. Sem van Drunen of the Schoorl Rescue Brigade warns against rip currents, the cold water and the sun. Here’s what to do:
Every year it becomes painfully clear how dangerous the sea can be. Last July, a German bather came through a rip for life. His daughter was injured. That was not the only drowning: also on Texel, the Sint Maartenszee and Velsen-North was it hit. Reason enough to explain once again what a mouse is and does.
The mouse
A mui is a channel between two sandbanks. At low tide the current goes towards the sea, at high tide towards the coast. They are always there. It depends on the amount of wind and current how powerful it is. You have to be careful, especially at low tide.
Van Drunen explains what to do if you end up in a rip: “Go with the current, don’t swim against it. Make sure you don’t panic. You notice that the current is getting less, swim via the left or right side towards the sandbank. From the sandbank you can easily return to the coast.”
Also view this explainer about mice:
Icecold water
Not only mice are a danger. Van Drunen also warns about the icy water. Because it has only been warm for a few days, the water has not warmed up. This can cause cramping. “Really be careful with that,” he warns.
Finally, there is the sun, wonderful, but you have to be careful here too. The UV radiation is the strongest between 12:00 and 15:00. So cover the body with clothing, or else: “Smear, smear, smear,” says Van Drunen.