ORLANDO, Fla. – Whenever heading to a beach off Florida’s east coast, knowing how to identify a rip current and how to safely escape could mean the difference between life and death.
Rips, swiftly moving currents of water, can sweep even the strongest swimmers away from the shore.
The Atlantic side of Florida tends to always have a heightened risk for rip currents compared to the Gulf side because of larger waves.
When waves break near the shoreline, water piles up between the wave and the beach. One of the ways the water returns to the ocean is in the form of a rip current.
A rip current is the narrow stream of water moving away and oftentimes perpendicular to the shoreline.
Rip currents most typically form at low spots or breaks in sandbars. These also tend to form near piers or jetties.
How To Escape
It is important to note that rip currents do not drag you under water, they pull you away from the beach.
If you find yourself caught in a rip current, the most important thing to do is not panic as that can quickly lead to exhaustion. Getting out of a rip current is simple if you are thinking clearly.
- Do not swim against the current (straight back to the beach)
- Since these swiftly moving channels of water are mostly narrow, about 10-20 ft, you can swim out of them by swimming parallel to the beach in either direction.
- If you find yourself not able to escape the rip current, calmly tread water. Rip currents tend to weaken offshore. Once you are in a weak point of the water, swim back to shore.
- If you feel like you are unable to escape the rip current, face the beach and get the attention of a lifeguard of people on the beach by waving your arms and yelling.
How To Spot A Rip Current
It is easier to spot a rip current if you are up high.
- Look for a narrow gap of darker, calmer between breaking waves or whitewater.
- A channel of churning, choppy water
- A line of foam, seaweed or debris moving out to sea
If You See Someone In A Rip Current
Don’t become a victim yourself. Many have been have died trying to help. If you see someone in a rip current:
- Get help from a lifeguard
- If no lifeguard is present, call 911 and instruct the person to follow the shoreline to escape the rip current
- If possible, throw the person a flotation device
- NEVER enter the water without a flotation device
It is important to know the beach conditions prior to going to the beach and it is always important to check with a lifeguard and obey any warnings given at the beach.