Swimming in the sea

I've often paddled in the sea on various beaches around the Isle of Lewis. I would not even dream of swimming. The water temperature is too low for that (only 14C / 57F), and there are rocks, currents and eddies.

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in the sunshine behind a window when I noticed a Coastguard vehicle screaming down the road, sirens blaring and lights flashing. It raced round the corner and up the road towards the airport. Later, I learned that a couple had gone swimming on Mangurstadh beach in Uig (West Lewis). I know the beach, and it's notorious for strong undertows. The woman had been dragged out to sea and 1 mile to the north along the coast of the Mangurstadh peninsula. She had managed to clamber onto rocks, with injuries to her legs. Her partner had meanwhile regained the shore at the beach, and in spite of injuries of his own, driven 2 miles to call for help. The Coastguard helicopter raced off to pluck the woman off the cliffs to the west of the village of Mangurstadh. Both were taken to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.