How do you survive a riptide

What should you do? Riptides, or rip currents, are long, narrow bands of water that quickly pull any objects in them away from shore and out to sea. They are dangerous but are relatively easy to escape if you stay calm.

Most riptide deaths are not caused by the tides themselves. People often become exhausted struggling against the current, and cannot make it back to shore. Do not swim toward shore.

You will be fighting the current, and you will lose. Swim parallel to shore, across the current. Generally speaking, a riptide is less than ft. If you cannot swim out of the riptide, float on your back and allow the riptide to take you away from shore until you are beyond the pull of the current. Be on the lookout for differences in the color of the water near the shore.

Rip currents tend to drag debris like sand, sediment and seaweed back out to the sea, making them easier to spot if you know what to look for.

Rip currents bringing sand and other debris with them away from the shore. If you feel the water pulling you away from the shore, get out. Keep calm and swim parallel to the shore to escape the current. Wave your hands and loudly shout for help. After escaping, or as soon as you find yourself at its head where the current has subsided, you can swim towards the shore.

Swim diagonally away from the rip current to avoid getting pulled back in. Always be on the lookout for warnings posted on the beach and ask the lifeguard on duty about the likelihood of rip currents in the area. 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, including the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico. Take a few minutes to learn more or check out the Science of the Surf site. Please Contact Us. Safety National Program. Before You Go in the Water Weather. Know BEFORE you enter the water what rip currents are, and how to escape them Rip currents are channelized currents of water flowing away from shore at surf beaches.