Barmouth Beach Safety
This information has been provided by the RNLI to help keep you safe on the beach.
In an Emergency
If you see someone or an animal in difficulties:
DIAL 999
ask for Coastguard and describe the emergency and location
The coastguard will ask for the location to help the RNLI lifeboat to quickly locate and rescue the casualty.
If you are near one of the RNLI safety signs, your exact location will be shown on both sides of the sign, at the top, in the form of an eight-digit Grid Reference.
In this example the Grid Ref is SH61151573.
Barmouth beach is a wonderful stretch of golden sand and water that is enjoyed and loved by everyone. As with all beaches in the UK, it is advisable to follow basic safety advice to stay safe and avoid accidents.
Barmouth Town Council in conjunction with the RNLI have produced this information to help visitors to Barmouth beach and harbour to safely enjoy the beautiful facilities and the water.
This information provides an explanation on the potential hazards caused by weather and tidal conditions and basic safety advice on how to minimise any risk and enjoy the beach safely.
Barmouth Sea Temperatures
The sea temperatures on Barmouth coast can vary from 7°C in winter to 16°C in summer. Anything below 15°C is defined as cold water. The effect on the body of rapidly and unexpectedly entering water that is 15°C and below can result in cold water shock that can be the precursor to drowning.
Cold Water Shock
Cold water shock can lead to uncontrollable gasping, then hyperventilation. This often means the casualty will inhale water. They may also suffer muscle cramps that make it impossible to move. Cold water shock can also rapidly increase blood pressure, leading to a stroke or cardiac arrest.
All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic, increasing the chance of inhaling water directly into the lungs. This can all happen very quickly. Most deaths could occur during the cold water shock stage in the first couple of minutes of immersion
There were 226 deaths in the UK from accidental drownings in 2022, across inland and coastal locations. Of the people who died 40 per cent had no intention of entering the water, such as those walking, with causes including slips, trips and falls, being cut off by the tide, or swept over by the waves.
Cold water swimming advice
Before you enter the water in Barmouth: -
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Assess the conditions. If the water is too rough for swimming, don’t go in.
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Know your limits – depending on the conditions, you may need to swim less or closer to the bank or shore.
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Tell someone on shore that you are going in the water. They’ll be able to call for help if you are in trouble.
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Check the tide times before entering the water.
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Read about rip currents and how to spot them.
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Never swim near to the harbour mouth. The area further north from the harbour usually has less severe currents.
It’s very important to enter the water slowly and allow time for your body to get used to the cold. Never jump or dive straight in, as this could cause Cold Water Shock.
To help yourself acclimatise, splash the cold water on your neck and face. Try not to hold your breath for an extended time when you first get into the water.
Once you are in the water, remember that cold water immersion can seriously affect your swimming ability. Stay within your depths and swim parallel to the shore. The wind and currents can push you off course, so keep an eye on your exit point and make sure you can return to it.
Float to Live
If you find yourself in difficulty in the water:
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Keep calm and start the Float to Live process
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Tilt your head back with ears submerged
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Relax and try to control your breathing
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Use your hands to help you stay afloat
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It's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently
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Once you are through the initial shock and breathing regularly, call for help or swim to safety if you can.
Currents
Barmouth Beach can experience a variety of currents that are greatly influenced by the tide height and the weather conditions such as air pressure and wind speed. These currents include tidal flow currents and rip currents.
Tidal Flow Currents
Tidal Flow Currents are produced due to the incoming tide (flooding) and outgoing tide (ebbing). These currents can vary in severity according to the height of the tides (affected by the phases of the moon), and the weather conditions.
Flooding Tide
The incoming tide can move quite quickly over the flatter patches of sand and can swirl around the sand bars to cause unwary sunbathers to be cut off from the main beach.
It is advisable to check the tide table for the day to understand when it will be low and high tide so that you can watch for the rising tide. The tide high and low times can be found online, or on the chart outside of the harbourmaster’s office
If you become aware that you are on a sand bar and the tide is threatening to surround you, wade towards the shore if the water is shallow, as quickly as possible, ensuring that you stay on your feet. If you are in danger, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
Y Perch
There is a small island just off the beach called Y Perch that many people like to walk out to at low tide and sometimes paddle or sunbathe on the attached sand bar.
The island is totally submerged at high tide and particular attention is needed to avoid tidal cut off as the incoming tide sweeps around the back of the island.
Y Perch at High Tide
Y Perch at Low Tide
Currents around Y Perch
Close to the harbour mouth in the area between the beach and Y Perch, a right to left current can occur as the sea takes the fastest route to ebb in the deeper channel of the estuary. Bathing and swimming is generally safer further north, along the beach away from the Estuary.
Rip Currents (Rips)
Rips are strong currents running out to sea, which can quickly take you from the shallows out of your depth.
Along the main beach, there is a series of offshore sand banks whose position and size can vary due to tide and weather conditions. The waves tend to break on these sand banks but not on the gaps between them.
Many beach visitors like to enter the water to paddle and swim in the calm water areas where the waves are not breaking.
However, the waves breaking over the sand banks will then flow back to sea in the gaps between them causing a rip current that could carry a person further away from the shoreline.
If you get caught in a Rip:
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Stay Calm - Don’t panic
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If you can stand, wade don’t swim
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If you are in deep water, swim parallel to the beach until you are free of the rip, then use the waves to help you get back to the shore.
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If you are in difficulty keep hold of your flotation device (if you are using one) or adopt the Float To Live position, raise one hand and shout for help.
Barmouth Harbour
Barmouth harbour is in a beautiful and photogenic location at the mouth of the River Mawddach with views of the Cader Idris mountain range and the historic Barmouth Bridge and viaduct. The harbour is popular with various boating enthusiasts from paddleboarders to yacht sailors.
To safely enjoy the harbour area, it is important to understand the potential dangers and hazards that can be experienced.
The harbour bed is covered with a deep layer of fine silt and sticky mud. In some areas the motion of the tides can cause this silt to act like quicksand, causing the unwary to become trapped in the mud, at the mercy of a rising tide and requiring help from the Coastguard mud rescue team and the lifeboat.
Do not try to walk on the exposed harbour bed at low tide.
The harbour silt can cover many hidden hazards let behind by centuries of shipping and boating that can cause injure to the unwary.
Do not ‘Tombstone’ from the harbour wall into the harbour.
The River Mawddach flows directly into the estuary and harbour, carving a deep channel that meanders through the harbour before flowing out to sea, via the harbour entrance. The speed of the current can be influenced by the amount of mountain rainfall and the height of the tide but is often 7-8 knots, far faster than a human can swim. Anyone trying to swim in this current will quickly be swept out to sea and will require a lifeboat rescue.
Do not swim in the harbour area. The currents are too strong.
Inflatables, Paddleboards & Boats
Inflatables
Barmouth Beach is generally oriented facing the west, and most of the time, the south westerly winds will blow from the sea onto the beach. Occasionally however, the wind can blow from the east towards the sea. When this happens, there is a risk of being blown quickly out to sea on any unpowered craft. The most dangerous being inflatable boats and toys as they are easily propelled by the wind.
We urge you not to use inflatables in the sea.
Blow-up toys and airbeds are designed for pools, not the sea, where they can easily be swept out. This is particularly dangerous for children or anyone that is not a strong swimmer.
If you do decide to use inflatables at the beach: -
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Check any flags that are flying such as at the Lifeboat Station to see if they are pointing towards the sea indicating an offshore wind. Do not take the device onto the water.
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Parents should secure a long cord to the inflatable and keep control of the other end to allow pulling the inflatable back in if it drifts too far.
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Ensure children are always closely supervised and kept near the shore
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Always follow the Beach Warden’s advice
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Do not take inflatables out in big waves
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If you get into difficulty, then stay with your inflatable as it will keep you above the water until the lifeboat can be launched.
Unattended and empty inflatables can easily blow out to sea, often resulting in false calls for the lifeboat to investigate.
When inflatables are not in use, please deflate them to prevent the wind carrying them away.
Paddleboarding and Surfing
Boating
Your checklist for going afloat
Whether you're powering or sailing out to sea, make sure you:
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are wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid
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are carrying a means of calling for help
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have an appropriate anchor that holds
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can identify your location
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are using a kill cord (where appropriate for your craft).
To access the RNLI tips and advice for boaters visit rnli.org/StayAfloat
Stings
