Beaches in Southend-on-Sea

Tips for staying safe on the beach.

Man-Made Hazards

Man-made hazards including piers, groynes, harbour walls, breakwaters, jetties, outflow pipes and sea defences are generally safe on their own - but in certain conditions, and without following safe practices, they can cause serious injury or even death.

What makes them so dangerous?

• Most of the hazards caused by man-made structures are unseen.
• Conditions around the structures are changeable - with rips, undertows, large breaking waves and unpredictable wake from passing vessels.
• The water's depth may change suddenly and without warning.

How to stay safe

• Do not swim near man-made structures.
• Never run or climb on structures - and do not jump or dive off them.
• Take great caution when walking on wet or uneven surfaces, and look out for sharp objects.
• Remember to follow and safety signs you see.

Tides and Waves

Keep an eye on tides. Always check the tide before you enter the water. Equally, be careful not to get cut off by the tide when walking along the shore - and make sure children playing on the beach are not in danger of the tide.

Watch out for waves. Waves are formed by the wind blowing across the surface of the sea. How steeply a beach shelves will also affect the size and type of wave.

There are three types of wave:

• Surging waves never actually break. Look out for this type of wave, as they can easily knock people off their feet and drag them back out to sea - especially when standing on rocks, the shoreline or harbour walls etc.
• Spilling waves appear when the top of the wave tumbles down the front of the wave. These types of wave are generally the safest for swimming in.
• Dumping waves break with great force and in shallow water. These dangerous waves usually occur at low tide, when the sandbanks are shallow and there is less water for the wave to break into. Avoid the sea when you see dumping waves.

Inflatable's

Inflatable toys, airbeds and small dinghies are great fun in a pool, but we strongly advise you not to use them in the sea. If you insist on bringing inflatable's to the beach, please take the following precautions to minimise the risk of an incident:

• Children's inflatable's should always have a line connected - held securely by an adult on the shore.
• Make sure children are within easy reach at all times.

Rip Currents

Rips are strong currents running out to sea that can easily take swimmers from shallow water out beyond their depth. They are responsible for a number of drowning's each year. Rip currents are particularly powerful in larger surf, but can also be found around river mouths, estuaries and man-made structures like piers and groynes.

Spotting a rip current

It's not easy to identify a rip current, but there are some common signs to look out for:

• Discoloured, brown water (caused by sand being stirred up from the seabed).
• Foam on the water's surface.
• A break in the surf line where the waves are not as big.
• Debris floating out to sea.
• A rippled patch of sea, when the water around is generally calm.

Safe Sun

Spending just a short time in the sun can result in sunburn, heat exhaustion or heat stroke - which in some cases can cause illness, or even death.

Protect yourself

• Slip on a shirt (preferably a long-sleeved one)
• Slap on a hat
• Slop on the appropriate sunscreen

It's also a good idea to avoid direct exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day