Report highlights poor skills in surf

DESPITE our reputation for living at the beach, two-thirds of Australians say they could not swim 50m in the surf without stopping, a shocking Surf Lifesaving Australia report reveals, and most who claim to be able spot killer rips get it dangerously wrong.

Coastal waters and the ocean claimed 110 lives across the nation last financial year, including 23 in Queensland, the National Coastal Safety Report reveals.

At greatest risk in Queensland were swimmers aged 25-34 and boaties aged 60-64, the report found, with 83 per cent of deaths being men.

The report, to be unveiled today, comes just a fortnight after the State Government announced it would be introducing vital swimming and water safety lessons in schools.

Surf Lifesaving Australia’s coastal research and safety manager Shane Daw said almost one in five deaths were linked to alcohol or drug use, and a worrying 31 per cent of all drownings had happened within 1km of patrolled areas.

He said the shocking figures suggest a desperate need to change the culture of mixing watersports and drinking, and swimmers and boaties realise the impact even a small amount of alcohol could have on their chances in an emergency.

As well as the 45 per cent of adults who are weak swimmers or who say they can’t swim in the ocean, the report also highlights potentially dangerous overconfidence with two out of three beachgoers who claimed to be able to spot rip currents got it wrong.