Now that Summer has ended and we are in the heart of Hurricane season, we are seeing a lethal combination of dangerous rip currents, unguarded beaches and a heat wave. The headline picture was taken from the Asbury Park boardwalk on Sunday evening, while my wife and I went for a stroll.
That is a Coast Guard boat looking for someone in the water. He was going real slow, trolling up and down the beach. The lifeguard crew had clearly marked the beach "No Swimming" and put out the red flags, but too many people just don't believe that getting caught in a deadly rip current can happen to them. Sad to say that it can happen far too easily.
Hurricane Jose has lurked off the Southern coast of New England for the better part of a week which has impacted New Jersey beaches with strong surf and lethal rip currents. What people don't realize is that a strong undertow can reach up and grab you, right off the beach. If you go in up to your knees, the ocean can simply take you away.
A few years back, my wife and I walked down to the beach in the early evening, to enjoy the sights and sounds of a strong ocean. Without fail, someone guys got swept out in a rip and I could hear them screaming bloody murder. I felt compelled to go in after them. Thankfully, with some help, me and another guy were able to save their lives. After that incident I vowed to never go near the beach again when there are dangerous currents, especially in the evening. I'm never going in to help again, if you are so foolish as to ignore the warnings, it's on your head, not mine.
At least three people drowned over this past weekend and i'm hearing accounts of 30+ rescues in one beach town alone. Some of the towns are issuing tickets to attempted swimmers. It's gotten to that point, people just won't listen and they are putting plenty of cops, firemen and coasties lives at risk. I know my town has two cops riding quads up and down the beach all afternoon, telling people to get out of the water.
It's a deadly mixture when it's 90 degrees out, the lifeguards have packed it in for the season and there are tropical cyclones sitting offshore. Don't take the chance with the mighty ocean, it has no heart and no remorse.
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Image sources: 1 My iPhone, 2
And it doesn't matter how good a swimmer you are... when those things grab you- you're gone!
Happened to me in Rincon, PR. I thought I was going to the Dominican, luckily a surfer saved my ass.
Hahaha... I'm not laughing at you- it's me! The first time I read this, I thought you were swimming from PR to Dominican... I was thinking: "What the hell's wrong with this guy???"
It is a good thing the surfer came along! If you're up for a good laugh- read my vampire post!
I'll take a look. Can't believe you went ahead with the Vampire idea. Good for you.
I'm scared of that rip current. Even if we could swim, dive, surf, we still have to respect the power of the ocean.
Playing in the water with my wife, in Rincon PR, I thought I stepped on a crab, picked up my feet for one second and we were headed out. Couldn't swim out sideways either. Thankfully the swell was up and there were surfers who gave us a hand.
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i like swimming but even when i do it in a small pond i'm asking someone to look after me just in case... you never can be too cautious with water
I used to be a lifeguard when I was young, grew up in the ocean and bays. Water is nothing to be messed with. It is without compassion.
Well, you know it even better than i do! Sadly some people get too relaxed this days, like there is nothing to be afraid of
Yeah, nobody is strong enough to swim against a rip current. At the very least they should know to try to get out of one. I'm still surprised people go in the water without knowing how to swim at all.
I see it all the time living in a beach town. The poor part of town heads down to the water later in the day, in the Summer, avoid paying for a badge. Many don't know how to swim or judge the dangers involved.
Wham, they're out to sea.
I've never had experience with a rip current before. If you just chill and stay afloat, will the current eventually die out or will it just keep washing you miles out to sea?
It dies out once you get out a ways, it isn't going to take someone from NJ to Europe. You do have to find a way to remain chill. Best bet, learn how to swim and listen to the weather service.
See, knowing how I typically react, I would probably just flip onto my back and let the current take me wherever it wants until it dies out. Then I'd work on swimming back to shore.
But it's probably better to swim out of it before it sweeps you out to sea.
I've been in a rip so wide I had no choice but to go for a ride, no getting out. Thank god for some surfers.
Whoa! How far did it take you?
Tough to tell, the breaking waves were well away from shore. It took us at least 20 minutes to paddle our way in.
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