A day spent relaxing on the white beaches and cooling off in the ocean can suddenly go wrong if you get caught off-guard by a rip current. Make sure you stay safe by learning how to escape a rip current effectively.
What is a Rip Current?
A rip current (also known as a rip or rip tide), is a powerful, narrow channel of fast-moving water that can be found near beaches (flowing away from the beach).
How to Identify a Rip Current
A rip current commonly displays the following characteristics:
- Break in the pattern of the waves (looks flat where the rip is)
- Different colour: often cloudy from water being churned up
- Floating foam or debris along the flow of the rip
How To Escape a Rip Current
- Stop – relax – breathe…
- Do not try to fight the rip by swimming directly back to shore, as this will only tire you out.
- Swim sideways (perpendicular to the rip), or let the rip carry you out and then swim to the side and back to the shore.
Safety is key when it comes to the ocean. Ensure that you, as well as your friends and family, are competent in swimming if they want to go anywhere near the ocean.
Check where the lifeguards have put up the swimming flags and stick between them.
Now that you’re safety conscious, you can enjoy your beach day worry-free!
