Surf Safety

Be cautious when swimming at Chiton Beach and listen to patrol members and captains if advice to NOT swim in the area is given.

Surfing on the South Coast can be enjoyable and hazardous.  There are excellent surf safety tips on the National and State websites and fantastic weather sites that help plan activities in and on the southern ocean.  The following information is a little bit of local knowledge that help people new to the area.

Beach Safety Hints:

• Swim between the red and yellow flags.  They will only be out on the weekends in summer at Chiton Rocks, Port Elliot, or sometimes at Goolwa.
• Read and obey all warning signs.  We put them there for a reason!
• If you are unsure of the conditions, ask a surf lifesaver.
• If you can’t see a lifesaver, don’t go in the water if you are uncertain.
• Never swim alone.
• Always swim under supervision if inexperienced in surf conditions.
• If you get into difficulty, stay calm, float. and raise one arm to signal for help.
• Never run and dive into the water, even if you checked conditions earlier.
• Wave and tide conditions can change quickly.
• Use 15+ sunscreen and wear a shirt and hat.
• Remember to reapply sunscreen after swimming.
• Learn how to spot a rip and keep clear of it.  A rip can be recognised by sandy coloured or rippled water running out to sea, when the water on either side is generally cleaner.  The waves may also be larger and breaking further out to sea on both sides of the rip.
• Don’t swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Keep the beach clean, put your rubbish in a bin, and keep off the dunes.  They are there to preserve the beach environment.

 Check it out for yourself on LIVE SurfCam

Surf Hints for the South Coast: