Think Safety Urges Harbour Master

As the weather finally picks up, harbour master Captain David Barker says it's vital to put safety first whether swimming, fishing, kayaking or on a boat.

Captain Barker's message comes after the rescue of five children from the rock known as K2 off Grandes Rocques last Thursday (3 August).

“Running into danger at sea can have severe and life threatening consequences. I cannot stress enough the importance of being aware of your surroundings and enjoying the waters around Guernsey responsibly. Given the precarious conditions in which the children were rescued, this incident could have been a lot worse."

The children had been rock jumping, or tombstoning as it's known. Captain Barker says if you're going to do that, then check the location first:

"Do it with a proper guide. At the very least look at the area at low tide so you know what you're jumping into. But it is a potentially dangerous activity and you really need to have some training if you're going to do it safely."

Captain Barker says Guernsey has a 10 metre tidal range:

That's about the size of a three story house. And tidal currents of 12 knots off Alderney and 5 knots off St Peter Port. For context that's faster than an olympic sprint swimmer can go."

Guernsey Coastguard say the summer is their busiest period and just last week attended four separate incidents within 12 hours. They're asking parents to make sure they know where their children are, whenever they're near the sea. Captain Barker says that's important:

“We want everyone to enjoy our beautiful waters and coastline, but please be safe. Consider the risks to yourself and to others, have a plan for getting back to shore and keep in mind what the weather and tide are doing."