20 Hidden Hazards To Watch Out For On The Beach This Summer
Sun’s out and surf’s up – time to hit the beach! What could be more pleasurable on a lazy summer’s day then a visit to some golden sands? But beware: the beach is far from entirely benevolent. From riptides to landslides and box jellyfish to blue-ringed octopuses, there’s plenty of potential harm lying in wait. Forewarned is forearmed, so read on for our guide to hair-raising beach hazards.
20. Portuguese man o’ war
Here’s something to think about while you’re having a relaxing swim on your sun-kissed beach: the Portuguese man o’ war. If you see something that looks rather like a blue balloon with lots of elongated tentacles trailing from it, you’ve likely come across one of these creatures. Although often mistaken for jellyfish – to which they are related – in fact they’re actually siphonophores.
Strong sting
But like many species of jellyfish, Portuguese man o’ wars pack a strong sting. This is used to overpower prey such as crustaceans and fish. Although only rarely fatal to humans, you won’t forget their sting in a hurry. One thing we definitely advise you not to do is lick them. That might sound like strange advice, but licking a man o’ war is exactly what one fellow did. British tabloid The Sun reported his deranged antics, which he chronicled on TikTok in May 2021.
19. Landslides
Are you relaxing on a beach beneath some picturesque sea cliffs? Well, you might well want to engage in a spot of risk assessment. That’s because those spectacular-looking cliffs might be less stable than you think. And seaside landslides had a bumper year in Britain in 2021. First, there was a massive landslip on southern England at what’s known as the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.
Unpredicted risk
The April 2021 landslide thankfully happened at night, so there were no casualties. A second landslide came at Nefyn Beach in north Wales just a few days later – again without injuries. Ominously though, some residents lost the ends of their gardens. Though don’t think beach landslips can’t happen in America. Tragically, in 2019 three women lost their lives when a sea cliff tumbled down on them in Encinitas, California.
