It’s a frightening scenario. One minute, you’re splashing in the refreshing waters of the Atlantic – the next, you’re being carried away against your will. And no matter how hard you try to fight it, your strength is no match for the swiftly moving current.
Rip currents are a real danger here in South Florida, where the loose, sandy bottom creates narrow channels for choppy, breaking waves to funnel back out to sea. Perhaps the most dangerous element of rip currents is their invisibility – often times, swimmers have no idea that rip currents are present until they find themselves getting farther and farther from the shore.
There are several different steps to escaping a rip current – and remembering them just might save your life:
1. Remain calm. The worst thing you can do when you find yourself in a rip current is to panic and expend all your energy trying to fight against it. This is how rip current-related drownings occur. You’ll probably imagine you’ll get sucked out to sea and will be lost forever – but rip currents typically taper off quickly once you’re past the breaking waves.
2. Pick a direction. Look to the north and south – decide which direction you’re going to swim and begin moving parallel to the shoreline. Because rip currents are narrow, you can break free by swimming a few yards north or south of the swiftly moving water.
3. Float out. If you’re unable to break free from the current by swimming parallel to shore, let the current float you out until it subsides. Then, you can swim north or south to a point where you can safely navigate back towards the shore.
Above all, it’s important to be vigilant. There are ways to spot rip currents before you enter the water – by paying close attention to debris and seaweed, color of the water and conditions of the surf. It’s also crucial to obey any posted signs, including lifeguard flags and warnings.
On a personal note, I was caught in a rip current just south of the Lake Worth Pier back in 2001 – and I was very lucky that I knew exactly how to escape. After a brief moment of panic, I remembered what the local weatherman had said over and over – I even repeated it aloud as I swam south, away from the current. Eventually, I was able to make my way back to the beach.
It was an experience I’ll never forget – which is why I’m sharing these safety tips with you today. I urge you to pass them along to your friends and family to make sure everyone is prepared for this frightening, but easily escapable situation.
