Also from the US Coat Guard Boating Safety Publication, April 2005


Rip Tides-They will get you every time!

Submitted by Wayne Spivak
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Have you ever heard the saying, "What you don't know could kill
you?" Rip tides are a perfect example of something that most people
don't know much about, even though they are probably one of the most
dangerous naturally occurring events known to man.The U.S. Coast Guard
and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary want you to be safe at all times,
whether you're enjoying the day on your boat or playing in the water.

The Dangers of a Rip Tide

More people die from rip tides than hurricanes and tornadoes. In
Florida, 10 people died in 2001 (down from 25 in the 90's). The
United States Lifesaving Association estimates that 100 people die each
year because of rip tides (based on a 10 year average: 1994-2003). This
is compared to .6 people that die from sharks, 18 from hurricanes, 53
from lighting, 58 from tornados, 84 from floods and 237 from excessive
heat. The National Weather Service believes deaths from rip tides are
actually under-reported, which makes this naturally occurring
phenomenon a very real and scary thought.

What is a Rip Tide?

Rip tides are strong sea currents, which push away from the shore as a
storm nears. The winds from tropical cyclones can often push waves up
against the shoreline, even if they are hundreds of miles away. So rip
tide warnings are often the first indication of a nearby hurricane.

As the waves move in toward the shore, sandbars begin to build. The
rougher surf begins to crash into these bars and flow over them. Large
amounts of water, with the tremendous pressure these waves can exert,
finally create a hole in the sandbar.So, just like the old story of the
hole in the dyke, the water behind the sandbar (which is between the
sandbar and the shore) starts to rush out of the hole with great
velocity: much greater than the surrounding ocean waters.

It is impossible for a human to swim against a rip tide. (Think about
your chances of running after an automobile that is traveling at 60
mph.) But you can out-smart a rip tide.

See Graphics One, Two and Three.

1. Rip Current in Florida after Hurricane Jeanne
Courtesy of Dennis Decker, WCM, NWS Melbourne, FL
http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/images/hurrjeanne2.jpg

2. Close Up of Rip Current
Courtesy of Lifeguard Captain Nick Steers, County of Los Angeles Fire
Department
http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/images/ripfromabove.jpg

3. Breaking the Grip of the Rip
http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/sign...rrent_sign.pdf

What To Do if You Are Caught in a Rip Tide

Remain calm to conserve energy.
Never fight the current.
Think of it as a treadmill that cannot be turned off. You need to step
to the "side."
Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When
out of the current, swim at an angle, away from the current, toward the
shore.
If you are unable to swim out of the current, float or calmly tread
water. When out of the current, swim toward shore.
If you are still unable to reach the shore, draw attention to yourself
by waving your arms and yelling for help.
Learn More About Rip Tides

For more information on rip tides, see the National Weather Service Rip
Current Safety page at http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov. The NWS has
prepared a brochure on Rip Current Safety, which is available at
http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/sign...hure_final.pdf (please
note: file is large).

For more information about the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary, contact your local unit or visit www.uscg.mil or
www.cgaux.org
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