What to do if you get caught in a rip tide?

The best escape is to turn sideways to the shore, and wade or swim until you are out of the rip current. Then move back toward shore at an angle away from the rush of water. The NOAA rip current sign depicts this method of escape. However, in in a chaotic situation, it is often difficult to tell which way to swim.



People Also Ask

If caught in a rip current... Relax, rip currents don't pull you under. Don't swim against the current. You may be able to escape by swimming out of the current in a direction following the shoreline, or toward breaking waves, then at an angle toward the beach.

MORE DETAILS

Generally speaking, a riptide is less than 100 ft. wide, so swimming beyond it should not be too difficult. If you cannot swim out of the riptide, float on your back and allow the riptide to take you away from shore until you are beyond the pull of the current. Rip currents generally subside 50 to 100 yards from shore.

MORE DETAILS

Hanakapiai Beach, Hawaii - Powerful Rip Currents Nestled in the Napali Coast of Kauai and only accessible by the Kalalau Trail, Hanakapiai Beach is one of the most dangerous places in the world to go swimming due to powerful rip currents and waves that are known to sweep people out to sea.

MORE DETAILS

The outgoing tide pulls fast moving currents of water from an inlet with a barrier beach out to sea. These rip tides can also happen near a river mouth, a lagoon or small bay. It is very dangerous to swim in these types of inlets. Sailors can use them to their advantage when they go with the flow of the current.

MORE DETAILS