Staying Safe at Rest Bay, Porthcawl - Rest Bay Rip Currents

Here's our guide on how to stay safe when visiting Rest Bay, particularly during the winter months when there are no lifeguards patrolling the beach:

The main danger at Rest Bay is a rip current found at the point to the left of the bay. This rip catches out the unwary. 

The rip at the point is strongest on spring tides and whenever there is large surf at the beach. 

The rip is a result of all the water being pushed into the bay naturally trying to escape. It does this at the edge of the bay running out along the rocks at the point. For more info on rip currents read this guide. 

Please be aware the rip current at the point can be equally as strong on the outgoing tide as the incoming tide and a number of rescues / assists by lifeguards in the summer take place on the outgoing tide.

There is also a strong lateral current in the direction of town on the incoming tide due to water moving up the Bristol Channel. The lateral current is strongest during spring tides. The combination of the rip current and the lateral current produce a strong current on an incoming tide in the direction of town. This current is very strong during spring tides.

When there are no lifeguards present stay on the golf club side of the lifeguard station for the incoming and outgoing tide (approximately 4 hours either side of high water). It is important to pick a reference point on the land and regularly look up to check your position as it's surprising how quickly the current can take you in the direction of town, particularly when you're focused on looking out to sea for the next set of waves. Good reference points to use: golf club buildings, lifeguard station, slipway, flag poles or malcs cafe - once you've chosen one of these reference points keep an eye on it and and try not to drift past it. If you drift past the lifeguard station and slipway catch a wave into the beach (before you're swept around the point) and walk back down towards Pink Bay before going back in the sea.

The rip can be seen in the aerial picture below flowing out along the point:

Once you get swept around the point there is nowhere to safely get to shore especially when there is large surf breaking onto the rocks. Stay with your board and signal for help to people on locks common - if you don't have a board float on your back. Don't be tempted to catch a wave into the rocks as they are particularly sharp and rugged at the point. As a minimum you'll get some cuts and grazes but in big surf you're likely to take a hammering trying to get out. If you signal for help someone will see you in trouble and contact the coastguard who will call the lifeboat. If you're able to, try to paddle out further to sea so the lifeboat doesn't need to come close inshore to rescue you. 

If you see someone in difficulties dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard (there is a SOS phone on the ramp side of the lifeguard station - mobile phone signal at Rest Bay is generally poor). Don't be tempted to try helping the person yourself as you could get into trouble too.

For further info on tides read more here. (Spring tides have the highest tide height figures when looking at a tide table. Normally around or close to 10.0m for Rest Bay).

The map below shows the danger zone at Rest Bay:

When there is large surf or a strong current at Rest Bay inexperienced surfers, body boarders and swimmers may find the conditions at Sandy Bay (Coney Beach) more suited to their ability. At Coney beware of a strong current at low tide.

Winter storms normally remove a significant amount of sand from the top of Rest Bay and some summers the beach doesn't fully recover. Conditions can be dangerous at high water due to submerged rocks particularly when there is surf. Inexperienced surfers, bodyboarders etc. should avoid Rest Bay 2 hours either side of high water due to potentially dangerous conditions. The red line in the image shows the area of exposed rocks normally covered by sand during the summer months.

The rip current / lateral current at Rest Bay accounts for around 98% of rescues and assists by lifeguards in an average summer season.

Less experienced surfers, bodyboarders and swimmers are advised to stick to lifeguarded beaches during the summer months. This is particularly important if you're unfamiliar with the dangers at the beach you're visiting. The RNLI produce an excellent beach safety guide with further information on staying safe at the beach: RNLI beach safety guide. To find your nearest lifeguarded beach visit: goodbeachguide.co.uk 

During the summer months lifeguards play a proactive role preventing incidents occurring and zone the beach into different areas to keep people safe. Red and Yellow flags mark the swimming and bodyboarding area which is patrolled by lifeguards whilst black and white flags mark the surfing area for people on surf boards and other hard craft. If you see the red flag flying don't go in the water. At Rest Bay there is a bylaw making bathing prohibited whenever the red flag is flying.

Thieves target lifesaving charity

Lifeguards who have rescued 6 people and assisted 17 persons in difficulties from the sea at Rest Bay during the summer season have been targeted by callous thieves.

The thieves broke into the lifeguard station at Rest Bay in Porthcawl at 7.13pm on Tuesday 30^th October using significant force to gain entry through a shutter door and smashed outside lights to hide their activity. Undeterred by the lifeguard station alarm system they stole the charity’s ATV quad bike. The vehicle is a red Honda TRX 500 FE Quad Bike (pictured) registration CU09 AWJ worth over £8000. Club Captain Chris Page said, ‘the thieves must have man handled the ATV to remove it from the building as they didn’t have access to the keys. This incident has had a huge impact on our operations and could potentially endanger lives on Rest Bay. Although we don’t officially patrol the beach during the winter months we do provide water safety event cover for a number of surfing competitions. The next surfing event being in just a few weeks time. Without a vehicle this has put our ability to provide safety cover for this event in jeopardy. The ATV is used to launch our surf rescue boat and also as a patrol and response vehicle for incidents that occur on the beach.

During the summer lifeguards at Rest Bay dealt with 93 first aid incidents. In many of these the ATV was used to respond to incidents across the whole of Rest Bay. One example was when lifeguards received reports of an elderly gentleman who had collapsed on the board walk. Our lifeguards responded quickly using the ATV and provided initial casualty care. The man was later flown to hospital by air ambulance. If the quad bike is not recovered we are faced with needing to raise significant funds to ensure we can still provide a first class lifeguard service to the users of Rest Bay. It will also mean that our junior members cannot train as we will be unable to launch the safety boat for training sessions.’

Club Chairman and local PC Chris Bluck said, ‘it is extremely disappointing that thieves would target equipment used to patrol the beach and save lives. The lifeguard club is a charity run and funded through grants and voluntary donations. It costs the club thousands of pounds each year to run, maintain and insure our rescue equipment and to be targeted by thieves in this way is heart breaking. From a policing point of view I would ask anyone to report anything suspicious they may have noticed in the Rest Bay area on Tuesday 30^th October. If you noticed people in the area, a van or maybe a vehicle with a trailer parked on the double yellow lines at the rear of the lifeguard station around 7.13pm please pass the information to South Wales Police on 101.

Rest Bay lifeguard club plans to launch an appeal to raise funds to replace the stolen rescue quad bike. If you are interested in making a donation you can contact the club by email: info@restbaylifeguards.org.uk or www.facebook.com/restbay or www.twitter.com/rest_bay_lg

General Beach Safety Information

When visiting a beach look out for safety signs and safety information. Be particularly aware of any dangers specific to the beach you are visiting. Speak to the lifeguards about any dangers at the beach especially when visiting a new beach for the first time.

Most importantly try to choose a lifeguarded beach during lifeguard patrol hours and always swim between the red and yellow flags. This is the area supervised by lifeguards.

To find your nearest lifeguarded beach visit goodbeachguide.co.uk. You can also download the RNLI beach finder app.

Before visiting the beach take a look at the beach safety videos below:

(Although the video below is made in Australia it is relevant to UK beaches too).

The video below was made by Rest Bay Lifeguard Club:

Incidents 2008

Rescues: 1         Assistance: 6         First Aids: 56         Lost Children: 12

Sunday 14^th September 2008

Big surf combined with spring tides resulted in a number of incidents. The water was packed with surfers, possibly the busiest it has been throughout the summer. Due to good preventative work from lifeguards any serious incidents were prevented but despite our warnings and advice from the surf rescue IRB or over the PA some people still needed assistance.

15.30 Assistance – A girl surfer was struggling against the current and in danger of getting washed onto the point.  Gareth Davies Jnr. who was crewing the surf rescue IRB (IRB Crew 1) dived from the boat and swam across to assist the girl to safety and helped her back to the safety of the beach.

16.00 Assistance – A male surfer struggling against the current was picked up by the surf rescue IRB (IRB Crew 2) and dropped further across the beach in a safer area where he continued surfing.

17.00 Assistance – Despite our PA warning announcements 3 teenage girls although within standing depth were in danger of getting washed onto sharp rocks. Chris Page entered the water to assist one of the girls to safety. The others managed to make their own way across unaided. Following this the red flag was raised as a nasty shore break was starting to form.

Duty Lifeguards:  Chris Page, Rhys Brothers, Sarah Davies

IRB Crew 1: Chris Page (Coxswain), Gareth Davies Jnr (Crew)
IRB Crew 2 (following crew change): Chris Page (Coxswain), Gemma Lewis (Crew)
Conditions: Sunny spells, incoming tide, 5 - 6 foot clean surf

Thursday 14^th August 2008

16.30 Assistance – Two girls aged 10 got cut off by incoming tide at the point in Rest Bay. They had been sitting on a ledge and not realised the tide had come in and surrounded them. They were assisted to safety along with their possessions by lifeguards Rhys Brothers and Chris Bluck.

Duty Lifeguards:  Chris Page, Rhys Brothers, Sarah Davies

Voluntary Lifeguard: Chris Bluck
Conditions: Sunny spells, incoming tide – high water: 18.04

Sunday 27^th July 2008

15.30 Medivac - Girl aged 10 brought to lifeguard station with a very rapid heart rate. Lifeguards Gareth and Gareth monitored the casualty in the first aid room. The casualty had suffered with an uncontrolled rapid heart rate previously. An ambulance was called to take the girl to hospital.

Duty Lifeguards: Gareth Davies, Gareth Davies (Jnr), Sarah Davies

Conditions: Hot and Sunny

Saturday 19^th July 2008

14.00 Assistance - Surf Rescue IRB launched to assist kite surfer who had got into difficulties. IRB crew stood by while the kite surfer made his only way back into shore.

IRB Crew: Hywel Davies (coxswain), Richard Castle (crewman)

14.30 Rescue – Surf Rescue IRB launched to rescue a kite surfer who had snapped a line and was in difficulties. IRB rescued the kite surfer and helped recover his equipment.

IRB Crew: Hywel Davies (coxswain), Dave Wooton (crewman)

Duty Lifeguards: Gareth Davies, Rhys Brothers, Jess Canton
Conditions: Strong SW wind, 3 foot messy surf