Growing up on Cape Cod, my father was a real picky about water safety, mainly because of his survival training as a pilot of the air Force. Naturally, I became a lifeguard during the summer months where I learned to be aware of the potential danger from rip currents.
Also known as rip tides, rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing from the shore beyond where the waves break on the move fast. They can form on any beach or lake where the waves break, often near sandbars, jetties and piers. According to the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), they are the main danger of surfing for beach lovers. At least 80 percent of lifeguard rescues are due to rip currents. More than 100 people die each year from just rip current drowning - which is more than shark attacks, tornadoes and lightning combined. Rip currents are able to drag even the strongest swimmers away from the shore, causing distress and panic.
Current Rip are dangerous, and it is best to learn to identify and stay out of them, but unfortunately, most people do not know what to look for. Some of the most recognizable features of a rip current include:
- A choppy channel of water that has a churning motion
- A sea foam line, the seaweed or debris moving steadily to the sea
- a disturbed pattern of waves
If you have caught in a rip current, do not panic. Knowing what to do can save your life, so try to remember some simple rules:
- Keep Calm. Do not fight against the rip current.
- To exit the rip current, swim sideways, parallel to the beach. This will get you out of the rip current so that you can swim back to shore, using the waves to help.
- If you can not escape by swimming, try to float or calmly tread water. Rip currents may weaken offshore. When it does, swim at an angle away from the rip current towards the shore
- If at any time you are unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself :. Facing the shore, wave your arms, and yelling for help.
emits National Weather Service NOAA regional forecast of the surf zone that help local authorities to determine the risk of a region for rip currents (low, moderate and high risk). These risk assessments help rescuers and officials of law enforcement to determine whether the water is safe for swimming, and beach patrols often post signs rip currents and surf hazard warnings that match specific surfing conditions and the current activity of local rip. Before you step foot in the water this summer, you familiarize yourself with the warning flags for your area and only swim on guarded beaches.
Current Rip can be dangerous but knowing the signs can help one relax and have some fun in the sun. What other advice do you have for staying safe at the beach this summer?
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