THE SCIENCE OF THE SURF

More than 50 people drown in rip currents in Australia every year and even more suffer spinal injuries in the surf. But according to Dr Rob Brander, life-saver and lecturer from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New South Wales, with just a little bit of knowledge, surf swimming should be completely safe.

Dr Brander, with the support of the Waverley Council's lifeguard service who manage Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches, will be running free summer surf- safety seminars at the Bondi Pavilion fortnightly from Friday 28th of December.

The seminar will teach people how and where waves break, how rips form and which beaches are safest to swim at. They will also provide information on which types of waves to avoid, how to spot a rip current and what to do if caught in a rip. In addition, misconceptions regarding undertow, rip tides, and rogue waves will be clarified.

According to Dr Brander our surf and beaches are very dynamic and certainly demand respect. "Surf swimming is one of life's greatest pleasures and the Sydney beaches offer an ideal playground. A little understanding can go a long way to ensuring that your trip to the beach this summer will be a safe one", Dr Brander said.

The free seminars will be conducted fortnightly from Friday, 28th December at the Marine Discovery Centre, Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach between 5 and 6pm.

Call 8362 3408 for further details.