Baïnes danger

It is strongly recommended not to swim outside of surveillance time slots and swimming areas demarcated by yellow and red flags!

Baïne or tarpaulin currents at the seaside can be very dangerous because they push swimmers away from the shore. Sea Rescuers tell you more about their training, how to spot them and what to do if you are trapped.

What is a baïne or tarpaulin current? 

First precaution of syntax: if the term baïne tends to impose itself in the nautical environment, it is used historically in the South-West, where it means “small basin”. We speak of “tarpaulin” in the North of France or “pouldour” in Brittany. For simplicity, we will use the word “baïne” in this article.

A baïne is therefore a basin, a hole in the sand formed along the beach of a very variable width. These can be basins or puddles in which children like to wade (because the water stagnates and can be warmer there...) while some can be tens or hundreds of meters long, or even several kilometers. They can be seen at low tide when they are near the beach. 

The principle is quite simple: when water enters the bath, it ends up overflowing when it is full, under the effect of the waves and the tide. It is at this moment that a strong baïne outlet current, or rip current, is created. The sea recedes from the hole and carries the swimmers out to sea. Even a very good swimmer cannot resist it and he will tire himself out uselessly trying!

How to spot baïnes?

You have to be careful of bowls and puddles, especially those where children play at low tide. Once the tide rises, it will fill and hide the hole: the sea seems quite calm here, but this calm can on the contrary mask an outgoing current. Even if it may seem counterintuitive, you should therefore swim in the waves, and of course in the bathing area marked out by the lifeguards.

 

Danger Baïnes ocean

What are the best practices to follow so as not to get carried away by these currents?

Baïnes generate two types of risk. The first is to be swept away if you are caught in it. Then, if the tide is falling, you can also risk getting stuck on a sandbank, between the bay and the beach, and not being able to get back to shore. (see diagram). 

Here are the recommendations of the SNSM Sea Rescuers: 

  • Always swim on a supervised beach and in swimming areas. This zone is demarcated by red and yellow flags, in the case of dangerous beaches whose configuration can change under the action of tides and currents, such as on the beaches of Landes or the Basque Coast.
  • Before going into the water, ask at the first aid station about the possible presence of currents. Check if there are signs on the beach 
  • Respect the instructions given by the colors of the flags on the beach
  • Tell someone close to you that you are going swimming and give an approximate duration for your swim. In the event of a worrying delay, your loved ones will be able to call emergency services.
  • Stay in your zone: the overflow of the bay will initially create a lateral current which can carry you out to sea. It is therefore important when you go swimming to take a fixed visual reference on land (a rock, a building, a tree, your parasol, etc.) in order to notice that you are moving towards the right or the left and to return to its reference point if this is the case.  
  • If you find yourself caught in a strong current, you should definitely not try to swim against the current. Let yourself be carried by the waves, without panicking, while attracting the attention of people on the beach or other sea users (surfers, windsurfers, etc.). Swim parallel to the beach then reach the coast when you find yourself in waters with less current or waves to bring you back to shore. 
  • When you get carried away, keep your head above water, call for help and signal to be spotted by a nearby swimmer, surfer or lifeguard on the beach.