Bathers and mountain hikers warned about heavy winds, full moon spring tide

This weekend’s full moon spring tide could be hazardous for bathers and shoreline anglers, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has warned.

The NSRI said the tide is set to cause a higher than normal “high tide and lower than normal low tide” that will “gradually retreat over the next few days”.

“The peak of the full moon spring tide is today [January 6], a full moon micromoon,” the NSRI said 

“Caution is advised for today, over the weekend and for the first few days of next week. The concern is that coastal bathers and shoreline anglers who are not aware of the full moon and new moon spring tides may be caught off guard.”

Rip currents can be stronger in places during a spring tide, it said.

“We are appealing to coastal bathers and shoreline anglers to be cautious. Bathers should only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards and swim in between the safe swimming areas lifeguards post using red and yellow flags.”