Beach danger number 2: Rip Currents

May 21, 1:42 AMWorld Beach ExaminerBarbra Stuter

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Narrowly missing the top position on our list of beach dangers is the cause of many drowning deaths at our beaches; rip currents, the number two danger on our list.  It doesn’t matter how powerful of a swimmer you are, even Michael Phelps wouldn’t be able to save himself if he didn’t know what to do. Learn what to do if you are caught in one of these currents and “Break the Grip of the Rip”.

Rip currents are formed when breaking waves trap water up on shore, creating strong currents that flow back to sea through focused breaks in underwater sand bars.  These powerful channels of water usually extend from the shore through the surf and out past the line of breaking waves.  They will appear as a strip of water heading past the breaking waves out to sea and are sometimes a different color than the surrounding water.  A regular fixture at beaches with powerful waves, they can also occur on any beach with breaking waves, like The Great Lakes or even in the calm Gulf of Mexico. 

The following rip current safety tips were taken mostly from the NOAA, National Weather Service website at http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/tips.shtml.

Learn how to swim!  (If you don’t know how to swim, you should not be in the water without a lifejacket).

When at the beach:

• Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected beach. The United States Lifesaving Association has calculated the chance that a person will drown while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards at 1 in 18 million. I won’t quote a bunch of statistics here, but that is incredible! 
• Never swim alone.
• Learn how to swim in the surf.  It's not the same as swimming in a pool or lake.
• Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out.
• Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water. This is part of their job.
• Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Permanent rip currents often exist alongside these structures.
• Pay especially close attention to children and elderly when at the beach. Even in shallow water, wave action can cause loss of footing.

If caught in a rip current:

• Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
• Never fight against the current.
• Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of.
• Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle--away from the current--towards shore.
• If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
• If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.

Check out this video on rip currents, what they are and how to spot them:

If you see someone in trouble, don't become a victim too:

• Get help from a lifeguard.
• If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1.
• Throw the rip current victim something that floats--a lifejacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball.
• Yell instructions on how to escape.
• Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.

In an effort to heighten public awareness of rip currents at surf beaches, each year NOAA designates the first full week of June (the traditional start of summer) as national Rip Current Awareness Week, and this year it will run from June 7th - 13th.