HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION FOR INTENDING SEA BATHERS

The sea is never entirely safe. This is an important reason why adherents of bathing are so keen on the practice. This was put well by a a Victorian commentator, Constance Everett-Green, in the Badminton Journal 1897... "I think the knowledge that man is not an amphibious animal, and that it is your will and skill which stand between you and death, give an added intensity to your enjoyment."

About the beach
The beach at Brighton consists of a sloping shingle bank, with a level area of sand exposed or covered with shallow water at low tide. At high tide, the sea can be deep just a couple of metres off-shore. Children who cannot swim should be kept away until near the time of low tide. The shape of the beach can change from one day to the next.

When to swim
It is nearly always possible to bathe in the sea in Brighton at around the time of low tide. The prevailing winds are on-shore (south-east, south or south-west), ie they blow towards the beach. Winds of strength force 4 or less do not usually give rise to heavy breakers, however, larger swells can reach the Sussex coast from storms far out in the Atlantic even when there is no wind. These are suitable for surfing at low tide, but at high tide, due to the steepness of the shingle beach, the run-back can make it difficult to get out of the water. During periods of gales, the longer the wind has been blowing, the bigger the seas and the longer it takes to calm down afterwards. Strong off-shore winds are rare, but these can make for difficult swimmng conditions beyond 250 metres from the beach, beyond the shelter afforded by the land. The best advice, as everywhere, is to watch the sea for a few minutes before going in, and to swim with others who are familiar with local conditions.

Buoying and lifeguard arrangements
Organised by Brighton and Hove Council, these are currently under review. From mid-May to early September, there are designated bathing areas, with supervision by qualified lifeguards from about 11.00am to 6.00pm. When the lifeguards are on duty, a red and yellow flag is flown, and a red danger 'no bathing' flag if the sea is considered too rough.

How clean is the sea?
The short answer is that the sea is clean enough most of the time, but not as clean as it ought to be. Brighton and Hove beaches have never come up to the standard required to qualify for a Blue Flag, but this is partly due to the quality of amenities on the sea front generally, as becomes clear when Brighton is compared with a Blue Flag resort .

Sewage from Brighton and Hove is discharged a mile offshore from the Portobello outfall at Telscombe. Dilution and the effect of sunlight should destroy harmful bacteria and prevent pollution of the sea at Brighton. To satisfy EU Directives, Southern Water is currently trying to find a site for a treatment works but this has proved problematic.

Since the late 1990s, polluted storm water overflows have been diverted to a £50 million storm relief tunnel constructed in the 1990s, running from Hove Street to Black Rock; it is stored and pumped to Portobello outfall. This is meant to be able to cope with up to a 50 year storm but in practice is has failed to cope a couple of times since it came into use; this happened after exceptionally heavy summer storms, but the problem was obvious, and it is probably true to say that the sea off Brighton is cleaner than it has been for at least the past two centuries. None of the regular bathers has caught any infection due to the sea since the collector tunnel came into use.

Is the water too cold?
The sea temperature ranges from 5°C (41°F) at the coldest time of the year, at the end of January, to about 20°C (68°F) at the hottest, in mid-August. People vary in their ability to tolerate the cold, but typically, five minutes is a reasonable amount of time for someone who is acclimatised to spend in water at  5°C, twelve minutes at 10°C and 25 minutes at 15°C.

When is the best time to start?
For those not acclimatised, it is not a good idea to start swimming once the water is below about 12°C. The ideal time to start is about mid-June. As the temperature falls from mid-September on, a couple of dips a week is sufficient to keep acclimatised and continue to swim throughout the winter.

Is sea bathing healthy?
Yes, but the daily sea bathers, like their predecessors 250 years ago, do it primarily for the feeling intense feeling of well-being it produces.

Currents
The rising tide flows up the Channel from the west, therefore on the flood (rising) tide, the current runs from west to east (Hove to Brighton). About 90 minutes before the time of high water, the flow reverses and runs east to west until about an hour before low tide, when the eastward flow resumes. However, the wind also has an effect and the current may be delayed or cancelled out altogether. There are variations close inshore, especially close to the piers and groynes.

It enjoyable to swim with the current, shooting under the pier at speed. At times, this current is too strong to swim against, but this should not be a cause of concern - just swim towards the shore and walk back to your starting point. Never panic.

Weaver Fish
A hazard to paddlers at low tide, weaver fish bury themselves in the sand and can cause a painful sting if trodden on. To avoid the risk, wear footwear or start swimming as soon as you are in deep enough water. The cure for a weaver fish sting is to place the foot (or hand) as soon as possible in very hot water (as hot as bearable). Heat destroys the toxin and the pain will subside after a few minutes.

Underwater obstructions
Some of the groynes are in poor condition and have been breaking up in stormy weather, leaving concrete blocks on the beach. As these are not removed promptly, at low tide, it is advisable to keep at least 20 metres from any groyne.

Medical Conditions
There are certain medical conditions that could make it dangerous to swim or bathe in cold water. These include epilepsy, some heart diseases and high blood pressure. If in doubt, check with your doctor.