The world's most sand-sational beaches

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Sunset over Vomo Island, Fiji.

What is it about the humble meeting of sand and sea that seems to enchant us? It's more than just the sum of its parts, a beach. It's more than sand to lie on, more than water in which to swim. It's romance, it's adventure and it's the time of your life.

Beaches mean so much. They're building sandcastles when you were a kid. They're family holidays away from school. They're the feeling of catching your first wave as a teenager. They're wild nights in foreign lands in your 20s, the relaxing getaways of middle age and the long walks of later years.Beaches are freedom. Beaches are an escape.

There's variety in beaches, easily enough to keep you amused for a lifetime. There are the hidden beaches, those secluded wonderlands that you feel like keeping to yourself forever. There are the bustling city beaches, European hotspots of carefully primped sunbathers and oblivious foreign gawkers.

Aerial of Wineglass Bay and The Hazards, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania.

There are the stunning, windswept northern beaches of Scotland, in whose cold waters you would never dream of dipping a toe. There are the spring-break beaches of the Caribbean, the surf beaches of Tahiti, the family-friendly patches of Fiji, the stunning backdrops of South Africa. Whatever your preference, there's romance, joy, relaxation and adventure in every beach. It's impossible to deny the attraction of that humble meeting of sand and sea.

Vomo Island, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji

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Aeriel view of Playa de la Concha, in San Sebastian, Spain.

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The world's most sand-sational beaches

Police urge all to take care on water following drownings

A spate of water rescues at northern beaches has prompted Northland District Police to urge all beachgoers to take extra precautions when hitting the water this summer.

Tragedy struck on Christmas Day when 25 year old international student Heng Li drowned in the surf at Uretiti Beach while crabbing. A 75 year old man, also crabbing at Uretiti, was rescued by members of the public late on Saturday afternoon.

A 16 year old boy is still missing in the water at 90 Mile Beach following an extensive search from around 5pm on Saturday. The search has resumed this morning.

Senior Sergeant Daniel Cleaver of Whangarei Police says that beachgoers must be aware of the conditions of the ocean before they take the plunge.

"There are a number of popular beaches in our District that are not suitable for people who are not strong swimmers or arent able to swim," he says. "We advise all beachgoers to carefully consider the conditions of the surf before entering the water and not to go in if you dont feel confident.

"Weather events have changed the condition of Uretiti beach, meaning that while the surf may not look too big, there is a strong tidal undertow which can take some people by surprise if they are not confident swimmers.

"Crabbing is particularly popular at Uretiti beach and anyone who is taking part in this practice must be aware of the risks they face by wading into the surf, sometimes fully clothed and out of their depth. Crabbers may find that their crab pots are drawn deeper into the surf if the tide has come in while they wait.

"This beach is not always patrolled by Surf Lifesavers and the nearest rescue boat is stationed at Ruakaka. If you get into trouble in the surf, a rescue boat may not be able to reach you immediately."

The rescue of three fishermen off the coast of Karikari Peninsula on Saturday morning (none of whom were wearing lifejackets) is also a timely reminder to all boaties to ensure their boats are equipped with lifejackets for every person on board and to take more than one form of communication with them on every boat trip.

"Summer is a time to make great use of the beaches that we are lucky to have in this part of the country," says Senior Sergeant Cleaver. "But the ocean can be a dangerous place and it is not worth risking your life for some time in the water. If youre not fully prepared, keep safe on the sand instead."

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Police urge all to take care on water following drownings

Beach Video of California Beaches ~ Calm Peaceful Waves Beautiful – Video


Beach Video of California Beaches ~ Calm Peaceful Waves Beautiful
Beach Video of California Beaches ~ Calm Peaceful Waves Beautiful http://www.cansoup.com On the way back form the dealer car auction and thought it would be nice to stop at the beach for a...

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Tourist survivors revisit tsunami-hit Thai beaches

On Boxing Day, hundreds of survivors joined a candlelight vigil in the resort hub of Khao Lak, southwest Thailand, to mark a decade since the tsunami claimed 220,000 lives across 14 nations.

KHAO LAK: Ten years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, foreign tourists who survived the crushing waves still return to the Thai beaches where thousands lost loved ones, seeking recovery and solace.

As soon as I could walk properly, we came back, said Steve McQueenie, a detective for Londons Metropolitan Police, explaining the powerful urge to revisit Thailand just six months after the December 26, 2004, disaster to make sense of the unfathomable.

On Boxing Day this year the 46-year-old Glaswegian again returned, joining hundreds of other survivors at a candlelight vigil in the resort hub of Khao Lak, southwest Thailand, to mark a decade since the tsunami claimed 220,000 lives across 14 nations.

Memories of the calamity are never far away for McQueenie and his wife Nicola, who survived waters that killed 5,395 in Thailand alone half of them foreign holidaymakers celebrating Christmas.

Sitting before a tranquil Andaman Sea, just a few metres (feet) from where they had stayed, he recalls the sudden huge brown wall of water that ripped apart their bungalow and plunged him underwater.

When I reached the surface, everything I could see was water. I couldnt see any buildings above it, I couldnt see inland really, and it just felt wed been dropped in the middle of a really rough ocean.

Flung further inland by the colossal wave, he kept afloat long enough to latch onto a palm tree until the water retreated.

In spite of a severe leg injury the policeman limped towards the road and was eventually transported up into the hills by Thais who feared more waves would strike.

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Tourist survivors revisit tsunami-hit Thai beaches

King tides hit California, bringing dangerous surf, rip currents

King tides hit California today and when combined with high surf can create a dangerous situation at state beaches.

High tide will occur at 8 a.m., according to meteorologist Bill Forwood of the National Weather Service. The service warns of "large surf" and dangerous rip currents through midnight Monday, subsiding through Tuesday.

In southwestern California, "the king tides this weekend coincided with high surf," the NWS said, "including dangerously high surf on the Central Coast."

Central California beaches could have waves as high as 20 feet Monday, the weather service said. There were coastal flooding advisories for some areas.

"The very high tides often cause coastal flooding when combined with high surf. All the hazards of high surf are increased with the added effect of very high tides.

As of 7:30 a.m., the highest local tide was 6.6 feet at the Port of Los Angeles.

So what are king tides?

Simply put, they are the year's most extreme tides and occur near the solstices.

"An extreme high tide event that occurs when the sun and moon's gravitational forces reinforce one another," according to the California King Tides Project, which since 2010 has documented the tides and any changes in the state's coastline and ecosystems.

Effects of king tides are weather dependent, said Sara Aminzadeh, executive director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance.

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King tides hit California, bringing dangerous surf, rip currents

Horizons' beaches on show for summer

New Zealanders are being encouraged to do their surfing online before hitting the beach this summer. Beach goers can check the quality of the water at their nearest beach thanks to environmental monitoring website Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA).

Information on water quality at beaches within the Horizons Region is now accessible online from http://www.lawa.org.nz. The website provides a seasonal guide to beaches water quality based on the last three years of monitoring.

"Beaches are a key part of many New Zealanders lifestyles and its important that people can swim without getting sick from contaminated water," explains Bruce Gordon, chairman Horizons Regional Council.

"By reviewing bacteria levels at beaches over time, LAWA allows us to assess to what extent the water at our beaches is affected by bacteria and whether this poses a health risk to the public."

Based on the last three years of enterococci data, Mr Gordon says that the majority of monitored beaches are suitable for swimming.

"Four of the six beaches we monitor in this Region are classified as having a low or very low risk of causing infection or illness. The remaining two are classified as moderate risk."

As well as the seasonal guide, LAWA also provides the results of the most recent weekly beach monitoring, allowing users to see the latest bacteria reading and how this might affect current suitability for swimming.

Read together, the seasonal indicator and weekly monitoring results give people a good idea of the water quality. However, Mr Gordon says people still need to think twice before swimming after heavy rain.

"Even a low risk beach can be unsuitable to swim at from time to time and we recommend that you avoid swimming for 48 hours after heavy rainfall."

He also advised people to remember LAWA provided information on water quality but other hazards may by present.

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Horizons' beaches on show for summer

Two Otago beaches on 'caution' list

Nick Smith

Information on the water quality of 350 New Zealand beaches is now available in one place online, a national water quality monitoring site, Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA).

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith said New Zealand beaches generally had good water quality for swimming.

''I want the millions of New Zealanders who go to the beach to swim, surf and play to have access to good information on water quality. It enables people to stay healthy.''

The site rated each beach for its overall recreation risk based on three years of bacteria data.

Of the 350 coastal spots monitored, 64% were rated as having low or very low risk, 22% an acceptable standard and 14% high risk.

Five Otago beaches, all monitored by the Otago Regional Council over summer, were listed on the website including Brighton Beach at Otokia Creek (moderate risk), Kaka Point beach (low risk) and Waikouaiti Estuary (very low risk).

The two in Otago to receive ''caution'' ratings - showing they could at times be high risk (10% or greater chance of illness) - were Kakanui Estuary and Otago Harbour at Macandrew Bay.

The ratings came with the rider that the risk indicator was a ''precautionary approach'' to managing health risk, so a site with a ''caution'' risk could still be suitable for swimming some of the time.

Information on water quality at those spots was also available on the Otago Regional Council's website, which also advised people against swimming during and shortly after rainfall.

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Two Otago beaches on 'caution' list