Ever been caught in a Rip Current?
Rip currents can be killers. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due to rip currents, exceeds 100. Rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards.
I wanted to raise awareness of rip currents and their dangers. We almost lost five of our kids at the same time, at this very beach, due to Rip Currents. The time you take to understand rip currents can help you protect yourself and your loved ones when visiting the beach.
A Rip Current, is a strong, localized, and rather narrow current of water that is near the surface of the water which moves directly away from the shore, cutting through the lines of breaking waves.
A rip current forms because breaking waves push water towards the land. Water that has been pushed up near the beach flow together and finds a place where it can flow back out to sea, as it flows at right angles to the beach, this part is called the neck of the rip, where the flow is lost rapidly. When the water in the rip current reaches outside the lines of the breaking waves, the flow loses power and dissipates in the "head" of the rip.
A rip current is NOT the same thing as UNDERTOW. Contrary to popular belief, neither rip nor undertow can pull a person vertically down and hold them under the water surface; A rip simply carries floating objects, including people, to an area outside the zone of the breaking waves.
DON'T FIGHT THE CURRENT. Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
If your unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
If you see someone in trouble, get help, call 911. Throw the Rip Current victim something that floats and yell instructions on how to escape. Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a Rip Current.