RNLI issue safety advice ahead of New Years Day swims
Swimmers in Cornwall and Devon will be braving the cold to mark the start of 2024
The RNLI have issued some vital safety advice for New Years Day swimmers.
Lifeguards are warning swimmers to check conditions ahead of time and acclimatise to cold weather slowly to avoid shock.
New Years Day dips are being hosted across Devon and Cornwall, including at Gyllyngvase, Gorran Haven, Newquay Harbour and Lyme Regis.
Daniel Bedwell, part of the RNLI's Water Safety Delivery Support team, is warning swimmers about the impact of colder sea temperature. He said: "Just walk into the water slowly, splash the water over yourself and don't run or dive in.
"Cold water shock is a big risk to people in this country. Your muscles begin to seize up and you hyperventilate, which obviously isn't a good thing when you're in the water.
"Cold water shock is a big risk"
"In this country it is considered anything below 15 degrees and this time of the year it's roughly ten or nine degrees. If people were to enter the water too quick your heart rate would begin to increase. We've had people drown just meters away from safety."
For swimmers who do find themselves in trouble, the RNLI are encouraging them to follow their FLOAT to live advice.
Daniel added: "Make sure you acclimatise slowly. Always be seen, wear a bright coloured swim hat. If you spot someone else in trouble call 999 and ask for the coastguard, never go in yourself to rescue someone. If you were that person who was in trouble, lie on your back like a starfish and call for help."
Lifeguards across the south west are also on call over the Christmas holidays to help support people if they get into difficulty. During the festive period last year, lifeboats in the region launched a total of 16 times.
Deputy Coxswain Kirstan Gorvin has been volunteer at Sennen Cove lifeboat station for 22 years and his son and daughter have also followed in his footsteps.
"We're always on standby"
Kirstan said: "You really don't know what's going to happen but we're always on standby. We're all volunteers obviously but if our pagers go off and we're handy to the cove, we will go over there."