Safety Tips for Dealing with Riptides at the Beach

When you visit the beach this summer, not every danger is visible. There is one which you can not see while on the shore or in the water that could endanger your life. This is the riptide. Knowledge is the best way to prepare in case you are caught in a riptide. Another term commonly used to describe the occurrence of a riptide is undertow. In general though, when people think of a riptide it is a very strong and fast version of the classic undertow. A gentle undertow at the beach is usually nothing that can't be escaped. A riptide though is an occurrence where too often people will panic and only add to the danger of the riptide itself. There are ways to protect yourself though.

So, what is a riptide? It is a stream of rapidly moving water that is heading away from the beach and back out into the ocean, in effect forming it's own current. If you are caught in this current there is a risk of being pulled out deeper into the ocean that you want to be. The biggest thing to remember though is that riptides in general are not extremely wide in area. This means if you react smartly instead of fighting against the riptide, you can get yourself out of it. If you are ever in the ocean and feel a swift current trying to pull you out into the ocean, swim parallel to the shore. Do not try to swim towards the shore, the riptide will be too strong to swim into and will quickly tire you out and increase the risk of the current taking you out into the ocean. Continue to swim parallel to the shore until you feel the current from the riptide weaken and eventually break. At this point you can either swim (if you are in water too deep to stand), or walk back to the shore if your feet can touch the bottom of the ocean.

If you are caught in a riptide, make sure you let the lifeguards or someone else around you know if there is no lifeguard visible. This way these people can get help for you in case you do tire while swimming parallel to the shore waiting for the current to break. Remember again, that fighting the riptide itself is not a good idea. There are ways to help limit your risk of being exposed to a riptide. Pay attention to the lifeguards when at the beach. If they are aware of an area where riptides frequently occur they will most likely try to keep guests away from that portion of the beach. If the lifeguard directs you away from an area, obey their directions. Also if you are caught in a riptide and a lifeguard comes out to assist you, make sure you follow their directions.

Unfortunately each summer the news is filled with stories about people who were unable to react when caught in a riptide. Or, they reacted but incorrectly and that cost them their chance to escape the riptide. If you go to the beach with knowledge about what riptides are and how to react if you are caught in one, that is a large step towards getting out of the current developed by one. Remember, the beach is a place for fun and enjoyment, but there are risks there as well and riptides are one of the more significant ones.