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.