Sisters part of Brighton’s summer patrols

Surf life saving sisters Leilani and Daisy Snell are regulars on Brighton Beach over the summer.

They are both volunteer surf life savers with the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club and have been for more than a decade.

Daisy was just five and Leilani was aged 10 when their family joined the club, with their parents still heavily involved along with the sisters.

“We’ve always loved being down at the beach and helping everyone out, being involved in the community,” Leilani said, who said surf life saving was a natural progression from swimming lessons.

The Snell sisters say their main tip for beachgoers is to swim at a patrolled beach and between the red and yellow flags.

“Definitely swim between the flags, wear sunscreen as you forget just how easily you can get burnt, be aware of drifts and know your abilities,” they said.

The beauty of swimming at a patrolled beach – which includes Brighton, Seacliff, Somerton or Glenelg – is that there are volunteer life savers keeping watch on weekends and public holidays, from October to March.

At Glenelg, professional lifeguards patrol the beach from Monday to Friday, 12pm - 6pm, from December to March, with volunteer lifesavers covering the weekend and public holidays.

Beach safety tips:

• Always swim at beaches with patrolling lifesavers or lifeguards
• Stay between the red and yellow flags
• Never swim alone
• Don't swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Learn how to spot a rip and keep clear of it
• If you get into trouble in the water, stay calm. Signal for help by holding up one arm and waving, float and wait for assistance
• Be sun smart: slip, slop, slap, seek, slide
• Keep out of dunes and fenced areas
• Avoid dangerous activities such as jetty jumping or venturing near the breakwater rocks

Surf Life Saving SA has a series of beach safety videos on their website, which are available in in different languages via the below link.