Rip Currents: What To Look For, How To Survive Them

The sudden burst of 90-degree temperatures are enticing people to jump into the ocean to cool off. But those cooling ocean waters also have a dangerous side: rip currents.

Bystanders have jumped in three times already this summer season to try to save the lives of swimmers who got caught in rip currents. In Seaside Heights, two teenage boys rescued three people who were dragged out by a rip current on June 9; on June 12, bystanders pulled two teenage girls from the water in Avon-by-the-Sea after a rip current dragged them near a jetty. In Belmar, family and friends are mourning the death of a 13-year-old girl who drowned June 15 after she and a cousin were found face down in the ocean waters. In Atlantic City, two swimmers were missing and presumed dead the same day.

The National Weather Service's Mount Holly office forecasts the risk of rip currents daily, but points out that "rip currents are always possible, especially near jetties and other structures."

So how can you spot a rip current? What can you do if you get caught in one? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers these tips on how to spot a rip current and what to do:

BEFORE YOU GO INTO THE WATER:

• Only swim at a beach with lifeguards. The chances of drowning at a beach with lifeguards are 1 in 18 million (U.S. Lifesaving Association). In both the Seaside Heights and Avon incidents, there were no lifeguards on duty at the time the swimmers got into trouble.
• Check water conditions before going in by checking the local beach forecast and talking to the lifeguard at the beach.
• Don’t assume! Great weather for the beach does not always mean it’s safe to swim or even play in the shallows. Rip currents often form on calm, sunny days.
• Learn how to spot a rip current. The Break the Grip of the Rip free online training will help you learn how to spot a rip current.

HOW TO SPOT A RIP CURRENT

Rip currents are channelized currents of water flowing away from shore at surf beaches. Look at the photos with this article for some views of how they can look. Typically, they form at breaks in sandbars, and also near structures, such as jetties and piers, as well as cliffs that jut into the water. Rip currents are common and can be found on most surf beaches Take a few minutes to learn more or check out the Science of the Surf site.

HOW TO SURVIVE A RIP CURRENT

• Don’t fight the current. It’s a natural treadmill that travels an average speed of 1-2 feet per second, but has been measured as fast as 8 feet per second — faster than an Olympic swimmer.
• Relax and float to conserve energy. Staying calm may save your life.
• Do NOT try to swim directly into to shore. Swim parallel to the shoreline until you escape the current’s pull. When free from the pull of the current, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.
• If you feel you can’t reach shore, relax, face the shore, and call or wave for help.
• Remember: Wave and yell ... swim parallel

Rip currents aren’t the only deadly beach hazard. Learn more about dangerous waves and other hazards and why you should never to turn your back on the ocean.

Main photo via Delaware Sea Grant

Editor's note: This artice was updated to include the incidents in Belmar and Atlantic City.