(haipo) - There are especially many drowning cases this year - why is this happening? And also a number of important things that you should really know.
Not just jellyfish
The summer season is at its peak and with all the fun and enjoyment that comes with it, unfortunately there are also the less pleasant things, such as jellyfish stings and injuries from various fish, but this time I want to talk about a particularly painful subject, which is also related to the sea and reservoirs in general, a subject that is no less disturbing, and in fact, much more dangerous. I mean the plague of drownings, which this year even hits us in particularly large numbers, and to remind you, summer is still far from over.
dear life
Contrary to the problem of jellyfish, which is undoubtedly annoying, painful and detracts from the pleasure of spending time at sea, nevertheless (and as mentioned in previous articles) - there are beaches that are relatively protected from jellyfish, such as Bat Galim beach, which thanks to its structure protects the bathers from the large swarms entering it - the issue of drownings is not limited to one area or another and may occur anywhere. Worse than that - drowning can be fatal and easily turn into a real tragedy, while claiming precious lives.
The sea is unpredictable
Spending time in natural water sources and in our Haifa sea is often great fun, certainly during the hot days that plague us during this period and when many are on vacation.
But we must remember that the sea is a dynamic body, its bottom changes from one point to another, and in fact, the only thing we can be sure of about it, is the constant changes that apply to it all the time and its unpredictable nature.
Different places in the sea have a different flow structure, they hide within them channels, pits and extremely strong rip currents that most of us will not be able to recognize at all, until the moment we feel them. There are currents so powerful that even the most skilled swimmers, and even lifeguards, will find it difficult to get out of them.
"Tombolo"
The danger, as mentioned, lurks wherever there is water, we have all heard of toddlers drowning in the home pool or in the bathtub, and yet, there are several beaches in Israel that are especially prone to disasters, and if we focus on our area, the beaches of Haifa and the surrounding area, we will note that the student beach (also known as the southern beach ) in Haifa is full of canals and islets due to its geographical structure, which leads to the phenomenon called "tombolo", which also exists near the breakwaters. This is also the reason that in all the declared beaches, for example - Meridian Beach, the lifeguards forbid bathers to approach the breakwater, due to the strong current near it.
Dangers you won't notice
The declared bathing beaches in Israel are protected by skilled teams of highly experienced lifeguards, who very carefully examine every swimmer and bather. The lifeguards do this for long hours every day, including on the weekends, when the beaches are packed with revelers and bathers, and we should definitely appreciate that. Moreover, We must behave responsibly and obey the instructions of the lifeguards unequivocally and absolutely. The lifeguards, from their vantage point and from their deep familiarity with the sea, know how to notice dangers long before we notice them, if at all, and before it is too late.
Enter the sea only on the declared beaches
Therefore, we will emphasize the thing that, although it has already been said many times, but its importance cannot be overestimated: entering undeclared beaches is absolutely forbidden, illegal and dangerous! When there is no one on the beach, no one will be able to help you if you get into danger! And perhaps here is also the place to point out that drowning is a very short process that happens very quickly.
Today, signage is posted on almost every beach, in Israel and the world, warning of the dangers, emphasizing the rip currents, which, it should be known, are the number one cause of death at sea.
What is inrush current anyway?
A rip current is created when waves coming from the southwest hit the coastline, return towards the depth of the sea in a relatively straight line and cause the formation of a channel. The more powerful the wave, the deeper the channel that is formed and the harder it will be to get out of. The lifeguards demarcate the area of the rip currents whose position changes throughout the day (the sea is dynamic, remember?), by placing black flags that indicate to bathers the limits of the area allowed for bathing.
Night bathing is dangerous!
This year, as mentioned, the number of reported drowning cases is particularly high, the absolute majority of which occurred on the undeclared beaches. Another reason that leads to many drownings and deserves to be mentioned, is bathing at night. At night there are no lifeguards, the darkness prevents the possibility of seeing and if God forbid you got into a hacking current or some kind of trouble, it is doubtful if anyone will be able to notice you or help, before your powers are reset.
Nocturnal tragedy
A case that happened about 20 years ago: a couple who went swimming at four o'clock in the morning, it was also in the month of August, apparently the two had been drinking to death. According to the evidence, the man was scalded by a jellyfish (which, as I recall, is their season), and when he bent down to scrape the spot, he was swept into a rip current, towards the Galia beach area in Kiryat Haim. His body was found the next day, Saturday, about half a kilometer south towards Haifa.
They made you a law
This is just one case among many, where a nighttime swim in the sea ended in a terrible tragedy. Night baths may seem like an exciting or romantic thing, but they are infinitely dangerous. If so, make a rule for yourself - do not enter the sea at night. point. The same goes for the declared beaches - do not enter the water after the lifeguard stations close.
Beaches are prone to disasters
As Haifaites, we will mention beaches that are prone to disasters in our area: the North Meridian - a beach with a sandy bottom up to about 200 m from the shoreline, where the depth decreases, and from a standing position we find ourselves in a state of levitation, therefore the lifeguards do not allow bathers to move away either.
The open Bat Galim beach is a beach with a sandy bottom where lifeguards are stationed and it is relatively protected, at least up to the limit of the breakwater.
Why risk it?
On the other hand, the Kariyaot beach is a problematic beach with many rip currents, as are Dado beach and the previously mentioned student beach, which are disaster-prone beaches and have many rip currents. The solution is simple - you don't enter these places when there are no lifeguards, and when there are lifeguards you follow their instructions precisely and without wisdom, simple as that. Why even risk it?
Please, act responsibly and take care of yourself - let's get through this summer without any more unnecessary tragedies.
The photos attached to the article show different sea conditions and powerful waves that were taken over several years and at different points on the beaches of Haifa - from the Carmel Castle to Acre.
Moti should invite you to lectures in all schools in Haifa Isr Kach.
If you have entered a vortex, proceed as follows. a. Don't stress under any circumstances. B. Inhale air and dive directly to the bottom. Continue to dive to the side a few meters and come back up. In case you got carried away: a. Don't stress again!! on. Lie on your back and let the current carry you. In no way resist the drift so that you don't lose strength.!!!! After a maximum of 50 to 200 meters of drifting, you will feel that the drifting has stopped. As long as you float, you don't lose strength!! When you felt that the drift had stopped, swim to the side about 100 meters and then swim back to the shore. Of course these instructions are only for those who know how to swim!! Entry into deep waters on the Haifa beaches is only for those who know how to swim well. Those who are not familiar with the swimming taps, should enter the water in front of the lifeguard's pavilion, up to the height of the waist, wade a little in the water and go out to sunbathe. hahahaha
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Moti, thank you for the interesting and important article. Thank you champion!
Moti, thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the vital and enlightening article and your positive responses to what I wrote...continue your blessed and vital work.
Izzy (someone else's real name)
Motti Mendelson is a high-quality professional and an accurate writer.
And which I forgot to add.
The filamentous jellyfish are a scourge and there is nothing good about them, certainly not in a situation of a mass invasion of a place that does not belong to them.
Hello Ilan.
You're absolutely right that I didn't emphasize exiting a breakout stream.
Personally, I wouldn't want people to say... here is a way to get out, so let's get into the stream... and I've already heard such reactions. So it's better to stay away in advance.
Thank you very much for the important comment
It is important to remember that due to the undetectable depth eddies, due to the sandy structure of the beach bottom, also the lifeguards examine every swimmer and bather and sometimes lose their ability to concentrate and as a result many unfortunate drowning accidents happen, courses and training must be introduced for lifeguards who will not only choose based on their proximity and connections to officials in the municipality , also a nudist beach should be declared immediately as a counterweight to the religious beach which is closed to the general public. And preferably one hour before the next drowning cases. The jellyfish!!! Immediately activate a net that will block the swarms of jellyfish arriving due to the opening of the second lane in the Red Sea, immediately declare the jellyfish as a national scourge!!!!
You didn't write the most important thing. If you drift, you don't swim against the drift but to the side.
You didn't write the most important thing. If you drift, you don't swim against the drift but to the side.
Very important article
Thank you very much for an instructive and fascinating article, I'm sure you saved a few souls by publishing this article
As usual, Moti Mendelsohn is a valuable information man and warns of the dangers of the sea. Moti is very knowledgeable in everything related to the sea and his articles are interesting and useful. Honest, dear man, I love you.