Survival 101

Our shoreline is cursed with rip currents (sometimes called riptides or undertow). Roughly, for those who don't know, rip currents are caused when waves are prevented from returning to the ocean by something such as a sandbar. The current moves along the obstruction until if finds a spot where it can break through. The water is literally ripped out to sea. They are strong and dangerous to swimmers, who are often blindsided. The good news is that they don't go on for ever, either in time or distance. So if caught up in one, how do we survive these too often deadly phenomena?

• Relax - don't struggle, you'll only wear yourself out
• Don't try to swim back to shore while you're caught in the current, you'll only wear yourself out
• Swim with the current, parallel to the shore, the average rip current is about 30 ft. Once you're out of the rip current, head for shore
• If swimming parallel is too difficult, then go with the flow, it will take you out into calmer water, from where you can signal someone on the shore for help and also find it easier to follow the previous step (or rather, stroke)

When you think about it, this is also good advice for life in general. Let's face it, most of us at some point have been or will be blindsided by a personal rip current, which brings with it a real fear of emotional if not actual drowning. So when it happens, remember the rules of survival:

Relax...go with the flow...ask for help.