Lifeguarded beaches in Pembrokeshire

Thirteen beaches in Pembrokeshire have RNLI lifeguards. Sixty-four don't. Those are the numbers, and they are worth sitting with before you pick where to take children swimming.

The dates below are this season's, taken from the RNLI's own page for each beach. Two things in them surprise people every year.

Most of the cover is nine weeks long. Amroth, Broad Haven, Coppet Hall, Newport Sands, Nolton Haven, Poppit Sands, Saundersfoot and Tenby North are patrolled from early July to the first week of September and not one day either side. A beach that was flagged and staffed in August is an ordinary unpatrolled beach by the middle of September — in water that is warmer then than it was in June.

Almost all cover ends on the same day. The 6th of September closes the season nearly everywhere. Whitesands is the single exception on this coast: it is patrolled from the Easter holidays, at weekends through the autumn, and again at October half term. If you want a lifeguarded swim outside high summer, that is the beach.

Patrols run 10am to 6pm, and the flags are the real signal — no flags means no lifeguards even inside the dates, because cover can be pulled for weather or staffing.

Everywhere else you are on your own, and this water is more serious than it looks. Freshwater West is beautiful and has killed people. Rips run at Newgale and Broad Haven on a big swell. If you swim unpatrolled: swim where you can stand, never alone, and know that on this coast you dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.