Channel: Destination Tips

Category: Travel & Events

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Description: Rip Currents are channels of fast-moving water returning back to the sea from the shore. If you're out swimming and you get caught in a rip current there are ways of escaping it and getting safely back to shore but the best way of escaping a rip current is to avoid getting caught up in it in the first place. Over 100 deaths a year in the US are attributed to rip currents and they also account for over 80% of rescues made by lifeguards. Knowing how they work and what to look out for is crucial in being able to identify and avoid them. 1. Darker water. Rip currents typically form at breaks in sand bars (also known as breaker bars) and also near structures like jetties, piers, or headlands. Waves push water to the shore, this water then needs to return to sea, if there are breaks in the sand bar, the water can return through the break, this flow of water will naturally dig out a deeper channel and so one way to identify a rip current is to search for a darker channel of deeper water. 2. Calmer water. The waves coming into shore will be hitting the sand bar and breaking, the water returning to sea will not. This means that the rip current will appear like a calmer area of water with fewer breaking waves, although the surface may seem to churn and swirl because of the different directions of water flow. 3. Dirtier Water. Just as breaking waves push sand and debris onto the beach, the rip current drags sand and debris from the shore as it returns to the sea. This means that the rip current will appear clouded with sand or have foam, seaweed or other debris on its surface. 4. Tips before you swim. Rip currents may not show all of these details we've talked about at one time, you may only be able to identify one or two, so spend time studying the sea and identifying possible rip currents before you go in. If the beach has lifeguards, ask them about rip currents and other dangers. 5. Relax. Rip currents won't drown you, fatigue will. Rip currents don't pull you under, they pull you out. Don't fight them, they are stronger than you, instead, swim with the flow and try to make your way to the breaking waves to the side of the rip current, once you're in the breaking waves you can use them to take you back to shore. We hope you enjoyed this video, please share it with people you think it could help and like and subscribe for more! Get more Tips here! destinationtips.com