how to reduce your chance of drowning on your camping trip

Introduction

drowning is perhaps the most common outdoor activity lethality in Australia
ensure your children are kept safe at all times - keep an eye on them and ensure they wear flotation devices if they cannot swim

practically every major flood event in Australia results in at least one death from someone optimistically or desperately thinking they can drive through a flooded stream safely
unless you know the area extremely well, are experienced with driving through such conditions and have all the necessary gear to escape safely if it fails - then DON'T DO IT!

in a major flood event, waters can rise very fast and catch you by surprise, especially if you are sleeping overnight
cars can float off a flooded road and then become submerged fully in a deep channel alongside the road

diving into water that is too shallow risks fracturing your spine and quadriplegia
falling off cliffs is never a good idea
slipping on wet rocks and hitting your head or breaking your leg as you fall into a river
alcohol is a major factor in falls, injuries and drownings
don't go swimming in crocodile infested waters or in waters prone to lethal stingers
surfing in large waves increases the risk of being dumped headfirst onto the sand or rock bottom

those over 50 yrs old are most at risk from drowning often as their fitness and swimming abilities have declined with age without them recognising it
alcohol is a major contributor to being overly confident near water

this is particular problem for 4WD drivers who are crossing rivers
- it does not take much water depth to cause a vehicle to float downstream
- strength of the current is related to both current speed and depth of the water
- unseen underwater dangers are an added issue:
  - deep holes
  - boulders on which your vehicle may become stuck
  - mud that your vehicle tyres sink into
many areas have strong currents even in seemingly calm lakes and these are often very cold adding to the risk - if there are warning signs - heed them!

at beaches, one should be knowledgeable of the notorious rips, or swim between the flags
- see beaches, waves and currents
on rivers, potentially lethal recirculating turbulent currents can exist at the bottom of waterfalls or weirs in the right conditions
- turbulent water full of air has very reduced buoyancy making it hard to stay afloat as you are not lighter than air!
- this is compounded in a vertically recirculating current which continuously pushes you down to the bottom of the river
- not even a kayak and wearing flotation devices will save you in these conditions
- see Youtube demonstration of fatal currents on weirs / low head dams due to hydraulic jumps at overflow structures creating recirculating turbulent zone

rock fishing and exploring large rocks where the waves pound has a special risk of unexpected very large, very infrequent rogue waves which are capable of washing you off the rocks into the turbulent sea
these waves are not from tsunamis but rather just a mathematical summation of the many competing wavelets travelling in the ocean
avoid such rocks where these waves may be a risk - especially with an incoming high tide

if it is a patrolled beach raising your hand should signal for help if you cannot swim sideways to get out of it
swim across the current (sideways) and you will eventually get out of the rip