OT: Rip currents

[Improviser]

Anyone ever get caught in one?

I did once in Sarasota while I was standing up in the water, and having read some stuff about it before, walked parallel to the shore and that worked.

Bloggers for this article gave some good suggestions on how to survive.

Pennsylvania parents vacationing in Florida drown after getting caught in rip current

A Pennsylvania couple vacationing in Florida with their six children drowned Thursday afternoon after getting caught in a rip current, local authorities reported.

nypost.com

 

[fatlucy]

I have many times. Just go with it if you really get caught up. Dont exhaust yourself trying to fight it.

 

[upstater]

Got caught in one in Cancun, only we didn't realize we were in one until we turned around thinking we were close to shore, but we were far out (200 feet) within seconds. We swam sideways for a bit, not much, maybe 30-50 feet, then back to shore.

 

[SoCalCanine]

I have experienced them a few times. They can be scary, even when you know what to do. Sometimes you don't even realize its happening at first. One killed one of my favorite musicians and he was a very experienced surfer who grew up in Malibu.

 

[noeynox]

I did in Isabella, PR, thanks to my wife. Ready to divorce over it. Didn't know about the swim parallel to the shore til after.

 

[BrysonDeMan]

awful to watch

 

[Dove]

Never did. No.

 

[jdb50]

Yep. Was in the water with my daughter at Coast Guard Beach on the Cape. It was scary. Thankfully we were not in too deep and I was able to set my feet and slowly walk out holding onto her. Was real surprised by the power of the current. The lifeguards rescued two kids that were holding onto a boogie board and could not get back in.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

When I was in 4th grade I went to Aruba with family for a week. We were on the calm side of the island, and I was just swimming in the ocean. As I was treading water, I realized I had drifted pretty far out, and when I tried to swim to shore, I was just going further out. I was kinda looking around but not screaming or panicking. Luckily, a jet skier saw me drifting out to sea, and picked me up out of the water, and brought me back close to shore. If he hadn’t seen me, I’m guessing I may have just gone out to sea, since no one realized I was that far out to begin with. I owe that person my life.

 

[TedStriker]

Never been caught in one. A college friend of mine died in one just a couple months ago in Mexico.

 

[98Uconn]

The bjc42 like thing… which I am a fan of… doesn’t have the same impact in a “my friend died in a rip current” thread.

 

[bjc42]

The bjc42 like thing… which I am a fan of… doesn’t have the same impact in a “my friend died in a rip current” thread.

the likes were not meant to be insensitive in any way. I am sorry about that

 

[98Uconn]

the likes were not meant to be insensitive in any way. I am sorry about that

I know. I was just trying to be funny after having too many beers and ended up coming across as a jerk. My bad.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Northern Gulf of Mexico from Gulf Shores, AL to Panama City, FL has been closed all week because of heavy tides.
Strongest currents and heaviest wave action I've seen in 20 years without a hurricane spinning somewhere.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Northern Gulf of Mexico from Gulf Shores, AL to Panama City, FL has been closed all week because of heavy tides.
Strongest currents and heaviest wave action I've seen on 20 years without a hurricane spinning somewhere.

You do know there was a tropical storm, yes?

 

[noeynox]

When I was in 4th grade I went to Aruba with family for a week. We were on the calm side of the island, and I was just swimming in the ocean. As I was treading water, I realized I had drifted pretty far out, and when I tried to swim to shore, I was just going further out. I was kinda looking around but not screaming or panicking. Luckily, a jet skier saw me drifting out to sea, and picked me up out of the water, and brought me back close to shore. If he hadn’t seen me, I’m guessing I may have just gone out to sea, since no one realized I was that far out to begin with. I owe that person my life.

What a coincidence. I'm at the Aruba airport leaving back home now. I was saved by a surfer. The most helpless feeling is to put your head down, swim as hard as you can, look up and see the beach farther out. Being oblivious to this being a a possibility, made me think of how reckless i was in Maui where the waves were much stronger.

 

[jibsey]

Pacific Ocean Mexico, Mazatlan. Went under and didn’t come out for maybe 15 seconds which seemed an eternity. I don’t go out far anymore, do the pools. Red flags= no swim

 

[Improviser]

Pacific Ocean Mexico, Mazatlan. Went under and didn’t come out for maybe 15 seconds which seemed an eternity. I don’t go out far anymore, do the pools. Red flags= no swim

Even with yellow flags, something to think about or to take a pass on.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Never was in one but have observed plenty from the beach. After living on the Cape I now longer go in the ocean. Swim in lakes and pools

 

[Chin Diesel]

Rip currents kill 4 in 48 hours: Panama City Beach on pace to be deadliest in US

Four tourists died in the past two days in Panama City Beach, Florida, putting the area on pace to be the deadliest in the nation for the second year.

www.yahoo.com

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yep. Was in the water with my daughter at Coast Guard Beach on the Cape. It was scary. Thankfully we were not in too deep and I was able to set my feet and slowly walk out holding onto her. Was real surprised by the power of the current. The lifeguards rescued two kids that were holding onto a boogie board and could not get back in.

Never go in above your knees in ocean water. Sheltered bays, Long Island Sound, estuaries, are much safer and more lake like.
If anyone has ever been to Montauk Light, it’s easy to see the difference between dangerous ocean rip currents and huge waves south of the lighthouse and calm one foot lake like waves only about a quarter mile north of Montauk Light. From the top of the lighthouse you can actually see a difference in the color and violence of the water. The fishing at that demarcation line is also great.

 

[uconnfan68]

Yep. Was in the water with my daughter at Coast Guard Beach on the Cape. It was scary. Thankfully we were not in too deep and I was able to set my feet and slowly walk out holding onto her. Was real surprised by the power of the current. The lifeguards rescued two kids that were holding onto a boogie board and could not get back in.

That was before the sharks took it over.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

What a coincidence. I'm at the Aruba airport leaving back home now. I was saved by a surfer. The most helpless feeling is to put your head down, swim as hard as you can, look up and see the beach farther out. Being oblivious to this being a a possibility, made me think of how reckless i was in Maui where the waves were much stronger.

Yeah, I vividly remember the entire scenario, even though it was 35 years ago. I remember just looking around and wondering if anyone would help me, and thinking to myself how nice it would be if the jet skier came and got me or if I would just keep floating further out, and lo and behold, the jet skier came and got me. He could probably see I was in real danger, and thankfully decided to be a hero, without anyone else even realizing it.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

What a coincidence. I'm at the Aruba airport leaving back home now. I was saved by a surfer. The most helpless feeling is to put your head down, swim as hard as you can, look up and see the beach farther out. Being oblivious to this being a a possibility, made me think of how reckless i was in Maui where the waves were much stronger.

We also went to that natural water bridge on the opposite side of Aruba, with the huge waves. My cousin and I swam under the bridge and my aunt was freaking out because of the rough water and high waves but we made it out safely. I guess that bridge crumbled a few years ago or so. I want to go back to Aruba at some point. Such a beautiful island with those cool divi divi trees.

 

[SoFla Steve]

When I first moved from CT to FL, I got caught in one off Delray Beach. It was scary! Finally, my feet hit a sand bar and was able to get out of it.

Today I pay attention to the flags. Glad I learned my lesson early.