Flags up and sun out: beach season is underway

It’s time to dig out your beach towel and thongs as the red and yellow flags fly all the way up and down the Northern Beaches coastline this weekend.

From picturesque Palm Beach to busy and beautiful Manly, Council lifeguards and surf lifesaving volunteers will once again begin patrols for the 2018/19 season.

Council’s professional lifeguards share the immense responsibility of keeping our beaches safe with volunteers from 21 Surf Life Saving Clubs on the peninsula.

Throughout the week, on weekends and public holidays, a combination of volunteers and Council lifeguards manage beach safety. They work together to ensure visitors and residents are safe and comfortable whether on the sand or in the water.

Last year over 10.5 million people visited our beaches and Council Lifeguards carried out 451,400 preventative actions, 1447 rescues and provided first aid to 6384 people.

Along with keeping visitors safe and comfortable, all lifeguards and lifesavers seek to increase the knowledge, skills and awareness of beach users.

We remind beach-goers to know their capability, swim between the flags, read the water conditions, follow the direction of lifeguards and beach signage and if you’re not sure, ask a lifeguard for advice.

And don’t forget to cover up from the sun’s harmful rays and slip, slop, slap.