Vivian,

How very sad but at least the end result was good. My first thought was why would anyone be in the water with a small child in those conditions but we can all have mental lapses and do some silly stuff when our guard is down. So thank goodness the child and the senior were both okay.

Three beaches I have always been doubly cautious with are Mullet, Cupecoy and Rouge. Rough surfs and rogue waves can and do happen without warning almost anywhere but these three in particular have always been on my caution list. And yet, each of them can turn around within hours when the prevailing seas and wind conditions change. We've seen Mullet waveless and the surf so gentle you could pull your chaise lounge into the water and let the water lap at your toes. And in the same trip we've watched breakers cascade over the cliffs and rocks at either end of the beach and surfers on their boards commandeering the beach. It's the ocean and she can be wild......