The South African National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has issued a safety alert to the public to exercise caution along the coastline due to the full moon spring tide, specifically on 30 and 31 August, during the peak of the full moon.
Also read: NSRI rescues 4 men in Melkbosstrand and Jeffreys Bay
This blue moon (a blue moon is a rare second full moon during the same month) will be a supermoon, signifying the moon’s closest proximity to Earth this year. This unique occurrence marks the third in a series of four consecutive supermoons, with this particular one being the largest in its closeness to our planet.
Planet Saturn will also be visible in the sky near the moon in her planetary position closest to the Earth in 2023.
As is customary, a full moon gives rise to the spring tide phenomenon, characterised by higher high tides and lower low tides. Spring tides naturally occur during each full moon and new moon phase.
The NSRI is appealing to bathers, coastal hikers, shoreline anglers, boaters, sailors, paddlers and the maritime community to practice caution around our coastline during this full blue supermoon’s spring tide as it can have an increased effect on the strength of rip currents.
The spring tide has already been progressively elevating high tides and lowering low tides over the past several days. The pinnacle of this full blue supermoon’s spring tide will culminate on 30 and 31 August, gradually subsiding in the days following.
Together with winter rough sea conditions around our coastline due to recent cold fronts and offshore storms along the South African coast, NSRI is appealing to the public around our coastline to be cautious during this spring tide.
Also read:
Unrelated search leads NSRI to stranded man struggling out at sea
Picture: NSRI
Instagram Picture: Fatih Doğrul / Pexels