Fingal Spit - Looks Idyllic But Can Be Quite Treacherous
Fingal Spit is a sandbar that leads to Shark Island or Fingal Island as it is sometimes called.
The sandbar appears and disappears at various times during the year depending on tides and storms.
It is possible to walk out to the island at low tide when the sandbar is high, but people are warned that it is dangerous and to be aware of the tides turning.
There are warning signs telling people of the dangers and you can see in the bottom right picture that the water sneaks up behind you sometimes and covers the sandbar before the tide has actually turned.
Sadly, last Sunday (Easter Sunday) a man in his 70s was returning from the island with a group of about 12 members of his family. One of the younger members of the family got into trouble in the water as they left it too late to return to the beach. The man tried to save her but was swept away by the tide and drowned. The young girl manged to reach safety and survived.
It is a sad reminder of just how treacherous the sandbar can be.
When the sun is shining and the day is beautiful people just don't think sometimes that dangers can be around the corner, and they don't appreciate the force of the tide.
I like the collage but, as you say, it is a timely reminder of the treachery of such spits. Your narrative tells a tragic story which goes with some pretty horrifying statistics with one person a day drowning across the Australian summer. 90 people lost their lives between 1st December and 28 February, many of them rescues gone wrong and many of them because people couldn't swim. Thanks for the reminder.
Beautiful but terribly deadly. I remember reading something recently that really horrified me about the tides at Morecambe Bay where 19 Chinese cockle pickers died in the 2000s some time - that the tide there comes in faster than a man can run.
Warning: Babs may be around with her crystal ball setting fire to the beach.....
Oh, it isn't that sign!
Sandbars that come and go can be very scary places. Tragic when people get those places wrong. How awful for that family group.
@ankers70 we usually have at least one drowning a year at the spit because people misjudged the tides and try to get back once the water has covered the sandbar.
@casablanca I did it by accident officer and luckily there was plenty of sand around to extinguish the flames.
It must have been so traumatic for the family to see their relative drowning.
@wakelys I have been across to the island a few times and all you have to do is know the tide times and make sure you return before the water has gone over the sandbar. Unfortunately some wait too long and don't realize the force of the ocean
@boxplayer I remember reading about that and I also remember Morecambe Bay from when I was a child in the UK. I also remember how dangerous the tide was there. It sneaks up on you doesn't it
@robz Yes it was on Fingal Spit where a chap drowned on Easter Sunday. They left it too late to return across the sandbar and tried to cross once the water was over the bar. Sadly he was swept away. People don't realize the force of the water.
Oh, it isn't that sign!
Sandbars that come and go can be very scary places. Tragic when people get those places wrong. How awful for that family group.
@casablanca I did it by accident officer and luckily there was plenty of sand around to extinguish the flames.
It must have been so traumatic for the family to see their relative drowning.
@wakelys I have been across to the island a few times and all you have to do is know the tide times and make sure you return before the water has gone over the sandbar. Unfortunately some wait too long and don't realize the force of the ocean
Ian
Such a sad story!
@boxplayer I remember reading about that and I also remember Morecambe Bay from when I was a child in the UK. I also remember how dangerous the tide was there. It sneaks up on you doesn't it
@robz Yes it was on Fingal Spit where a chap drowned on Easter Sunday. They left it too late to return across the sandbar and tried to cross once the water was over the bar. Sadly he was swept away. People don't realize the force of the water.