Bar awareness

Bar awareness

Sand bars are common at the entrance of many of our harbours and rivers. If you go boating and want to get out into open seas, you usually have to navigate them.  

Sandbars can be extremely dangerous, even for experienced boaties. Many people get into difficulty crossing a sand bar and each year, boats are damaged, and people are injured or killed when a bar crossing goes wrong. 

This video explains what a bar is and provides detailed advice that will help you decide whether or not to cross. We have more tips about how to cross a bar here.