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Learned the hard way at the Cronulla shark watch tower why you always check the flags twice
Was filming a drone clip at Cronulla beach on Saturday when a sneaky rip pulled a bloke out 40 metres in about 30 seconds, and that is exactly why I now read every single flag and sign before I even think about hitting record on anything near the water.
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lewis.troy10d ago
The flags only tell you about the spot they're planted at, not the whole beach, so blaming them for a rip 40 metres away is a bit much. A rip can open up anywhere and no sign on earth is going to warn you about every single one, that's just how the ocean works. Reading flags is good and all but it won't save you from a rip that shows up out of nowhere, so maybe the real lesson is learn to spot rips yourself instead of trusting a bit of colored cloth lol.
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nathanj5610d ago
The flags are solid for where the patrol is watching but you're right they don't cover the whole stretch. What I do now is spend two minutes watching the water before I even set up, look for that darker patch with less broken waves, that's usually where the rip is pulling. Those spots stay pretty consistent on the same beach too so once you learn your local one you know where to keep an eye out. The signs and flags plus your own eyes is the combo, not one or the other. Learned that one the slow way like everyone else.
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