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The majority of ocean drownings involve rip currents. Learn how to avoid and survive these dangerous currents.
Danger From Rip Currents
In the US, rip currents cause approximately 100 drownings per year. About 80% of all swimmers rescued at beaches were endangered by rip currents (United States Lifesaving Association). Swimmers who understand rip currents can reduce their chances of being caught in one and increase their chances of survival if they are caught in a rip current.
What Is a Rip Current?
A rip current is a narrow region where water is flowing outward perpendicular to the shoreline. They usually range from 20 to 100 feet wide, but can occasionally be wider. The outward flowing current pulls even strong swimmers outward, but does not pull swimmers downward.
People associate rip currents with ocean beaches, but they can also occur on any beach that has waves large enough to break, including large lakes. Rip currents can occur where there is a natural break in an offshore sandbar or near a manmade structure such as a pier or jetty.
Surf breaking over a sandbar pushes water towards the shore. This water must flow back out to sea and does so where there is a break or low spot in the underwater sandbar. Near the shore, feeder currents, parallel to the shore, flow towards a low spot or break in the sandbar. These breaks, where the water flows outward, are relatively narrow, so the water pressure pushes the outward flow at a higher speed. Beyond the sandbar the rip current gets wider and dissipates. The narrow area of the rip current is called the neck, and the wider area is called the head.
Typical water speeds in a rip current are 1 to 2 feet per second, but they can rapidly increase to speeds as high as 8 feet per second (5.5 miles per hour). Even the best competitive swimmers can not sprint this fast, so you cannot swim against a rip current.
Signs of a Rip Current
To help spot rip currents, wear polarized sun glasses. They cut down on the glare and make rip currents easier to see. One or more of these signs may be present, but they are not always visible. You are seeing a rip current if you see a narrow, perpendicular to the shoreline, band of:
- Choppy or churning water,
- Debris or seaweed flowing out to sea,
- A change in the pattern of incoming waves.
If You Are Caught in a Rip Current
- Don't Panic! Stay calm so you can think clearly and save energy.
- Never try to swim against the current. You can't! The world's strongest competitive swimmers cannot swim against a strong rip current.
- Swim sideways, parallel to the shoreline, until you are out of the rip current.
- After you are out of the rip current and no longer need to swim against it, swim diagonally towards the shore.
- If you cannot swim perpendicular to the rip current, ride it out while floating or treading water. Then swim diagonally towards the shore.
- If you can't swim towards the shore, after you are out of the rip current, wave your arms to get someone's attention.
If You See Someone Else Caught in a Rip Current
- Weak swimmers, not trained in lifesaving, often drown or get into trouble trying to rescue someone else. Unless you are a strong surf swimmer and trained in lifesaving techniques, do not rush into the rip current after someone.
- If the beach has lifeguards, get their attention. If not, call 911.
- Without getting caught in the rip current yourself, try to throw the person something to use as a flotation device. Use anything available that floats.
- Yell or make hand motions for the person to swim parallel to shore.
Rip currents are a danger of beach swimming, but knowledge and proper safety precautions minimize the danger. To prevent a drowning tragedy, make sure all members of your family or party know about rip current safety before your beach vacation.
More Information
US Lifesaving Association
NOAA
The copyright of the article Ocean Rip Current Safety in Swimming & Diving is owned by Paul A. Heckert. Permission to republish Ocean Rip Current Safety in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Aug 16, 2008 5:42 PM
Guest :
I was caught in a very strong rip current at Oceano State Beach, near Pismo
Beach on Californias Central coast. I am a surfer and have been caught in
rips before and had no problems getting out of them, but this time I was
just out in the surf by myself with out my board. I didnt go out very far
just out about to chest height. A few large waves came in and the water
immediately was over my head and I was wading thinking that when the waves
went out that I would be able to get my feet back on the ground. All the
sudden after the waves had gone back out I still couldnt touch the ground
so I tried to swim towards shore , but as I was swimming I was not getting
anymore closer to the shore, it seemed like I was not going anywhere, but I
was actually being pulled out and didnt realize it right away. Once I
realized I was being pulled out I knew I was in a rip, and I knew I was in
trouble because I was in and area where there were no life guards. I was
with my parents who were on the beach, I tried to signal to them that I
was in trouble but I was only able to wave with one hand in order to keep
myself up, they had thought that I was just waving to them. At this point
I became very scared. I followed what I had always heard to do if you are
caught in a rip current, to swim parallel to the beach untill you are out
of the rip. I tried this for as long as I could but I wasent getting any
closer to shore and I was starting to get very tired. It seemed like I was
just staying in the same spot. At this point I had thought I was not going
to make it back in, I thought for sure that I was going to drown that day.
I tried to stay as calm as I could, if this ever happines to you make
sure to stay calm and to conserve your energy because it may save your
life. I kept doing what I was told to do and kept trying to swim parallel
to the shore it didnt seem to be working but I didnt give up. What
happined next I have no doubt in my mind that I must have had divine
intervention, because I was out of steam and I couldnt go much longer just
when I was starting to go under from exhaustion, A large wave was coming
and I saw it and when I did I started swimming like crazy and the wave
pushed me in quite a bit and that gave me momentum and I was lucky because
another large wave came in and pushed me in to where I could touch ground.
I was so relieved. I had made it back in. Dont let this happine to you,
always swim in and area with life guards and do not panic
Feb 16, 2009 10:12 PM
Guest :
I work as a lifeguard on the east coast each summer, and have encountered
many different types of rip currents. It is amazing how so many people
(90% or more) never realize they are in a rip current and keep trying to
swim/kick/paddle back to shore until a lifeguard reaches them, or they luck
out and reach a shallow section of the beach. My best advice to anyone, is
to let the current take you where it wants too (assuming you can tred water
and swim!) and signal the lifeguard. Even if a lifeguard is not present,
just let the current take you until you get your bearings and figure out
which direction** you want to swim parallel to shore (**you should find out
AHEAD of time if there is an along shore current, just ask a lifeguard or
people on the beach until you get a definitive answer**).
Above all, don't take chances swimming in the ocean without a lifeguard
present, ESPECIALLY if there is any surf. I am a solid swimmer, and very
fit cardiovascularly. While training one morning in heavy surf and without
any floatation device, I almost got into a serious situation that could
have resulted in a near drowning. While swimming in to shore from behind
the surf break, a big set of waves came in at the worse time. The first
wave took me by surprise, as I was facing shore at the time and it was
still deep. It knocked the air out of my lungs while pushing me under the
whitewater. This whitewater makes it hard to catch a breath because it is
water mixed with air, making it less dense, and impossible to pull yourself
out of (we are more dense than this mixture). This was the crucial moment.
I had no air in my lungs at all, and had to fight my body's instinct to
take a breath. After holding my breath under the white water for 7 seconds
or so, I managed to break the surface and grab a gulp of air just beofore
the 2nd wave of the set pounded me again. After struggling to get out of
the white water once again, I had two seconds to look around and decide
whether I should call out to my buddy. He also had no rescue device, so I
was half worried about making the situtation worse, and half worried about
my pride. After quickly thinking about what to do, I just turned around
and with what little energy I had, I dolphin dived the last couple of big
waves in the set, coming out the back side of the wave with enough lift to
break the surface and grab some air. When the last wave rolled by, I was
able to stand and muscle my way to shore. Don't take a chance...
2 Comments
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