Sir,

I was a beach attendant for seven years on Tenby's South Beach and beach inspector for three years, 1969-71, when an undergraduate. It was important to be very familiar with the beach and its tides and winds.

The 'Whiteback' is not a shifting sand bank that is collapsible as Nick Ainger MP reported and as the Guardian media commented on an RNLI report. It is a permanent feature. It is like the Woolhouse rocks, but in sand formation.

At very low tides only a few times a year it is exposed. People can wade out long distances and remain in shallow water, as on Tenby's North Beach. When the tide comes in, it is vital to return quickly to the main shoreline... the path back to the beach means a slight descent from the Whiteback and non-swimmers can get caught out in the supposition it is all flat.

When the wind is strong, a current then drags any nonswimmers out to the exit ocean gateway treacherously lying between Giltar Point and St. Margaret's Island, and drowning can easily occur through exhaustion. It sadly happened once when I was inspector.

Winds are the most important factor in this situation, as winds are the most important factor in our total national climate. The Gulf Stream is totally wind driven and it keeps us far warmer than it would otherwise be as the prevailing south-westerly winds push up warm waters to our shores just as winds push up the cold Benguela and Humbolt currents from Antarctica to bring vital fish foodstock to Africa and Latin America.

In my period of service, we had bold signs at the South Beach chair stacks and over at the Kiln Park and the golf course stretch of the South Beach naming the Whiteback and stating exactly what is was. These signs no longer exist; I noticed this this year in June on a walk from Penally station.

Reports from the recent incident show no awareness of what the Whiteback is not a call for signs.

The South Beach is safe in general, but as it has this one abnormal geographical aspect, it is not like the North Beach, which is absolutely safe in all respects. The Whiteback is fact of life and has been there many years, fully known to Tenby's local seamen, former Tenby beach staff, councillors and the authorities.

G.Smith,

London.