Dear beach fans,
as part of the #beachwednesday initiative by @uwelang, I want to share the following image of a very small, but cute beach near the Kennedy-Bridge, I already told you about in yesterdays heaven and earth post.
Swimming in the Rhine is extremely dangerous
Although it looks very idylic, it's very dangerous to swim in the Rhine because of the dangerous currents and every year people drown whilst swimming in the Rhine.The dangerous currents create an underflow so strong that even experienced swimmers are in danger of being pulled under to the bottom of the river. These currents are unpredictable and often unidentifiable.SourceWaves produced by large ships can knock people over who are standing in the water and drag them into the hazardous currents.
The "tides" can change in a few minutes: Ships sailing upstream draw the water towards them, causing the water near the riverbanks to recede. The "low tide" tempts bathers further into the river, but as soon as the ship has passed, the "high tide" follows with unexpected force and pulls even adult swimmers into the main current.
The consequences of such accidents in the Rhine include broken bones, hypothermia, cardiovascular problems and, in the worst case, drowning.
Location
To the left you can see a small snippet showing the location of the beach (marker) in relation to the Kennedy-Bridge.People are not only sunbathing here, they're also taking drinks from the close "Bahnhoefchen" - beer garden and often even make fires and have barbecues in the evenings.
Unfortunately some people leave all their waste after that, which makes this place less attractive for families.