How to Surf : How to Identify & Avoid Rip Currents

[takforalt]

Well done vid. Very clear and to the point. Thanks.

[Sw33tAsH0ney]

I can't even swim so if you can't will you will probably die am i right? i can float on my back tho haha

[Teddi14]

I am adding this video to my squidoo . com lens about rip currents. :-)

[justwired]

i juump in the rip curent in big surf to out to da waves

[navalavajava]

He just saved 30,000 lives

[d33untouchabl3]

Thanks for sharing this video!

[GBPaddling]

I've heard advice to swim at 45 degrees to the shore,I wouldn't do this.In my opinion,I would stop swimming,calm down and take stock of the situation,the rip will only take you so far,then you will travel left or right,watch fixed objects ashore that will indicate your direction(a transit mark),then after approx. 100 yds try to swim,your mindset should be preservation of energy,be prepared to be there a while.Also these rips can move location!!! after a storm ,sand gets moved about!!!

[allenzero1]

@GBPaddling NOT ALWAYS SOME WILL PASS YOU ON TO ANOTHER CURRENT OUT TO THE OCEAN!!!

Thank you I shouldent be alive what a great educational show.

[JHPStudios]

0:01

[Bullzeye95]

One thing he also failed to mention: There is no such thing as an "undertow". They are a fable of people's imaginations about rip currents, which will only pull you OUT but will never pull you DOWN.

The mythology of the "killer current" that suddenly pulls you to the bottom and drowns you encourages people to panic when they get caught in a small rip, basically doing exactly what they shouldn't do, rather than saving their energy and swimming out of it.

[allenzero1]

@Bullzeye95 Yes there is but thats about rivers and narrow currents with a bend or sudden drop in them different from a beach entirely though

[under25toride]

Your text blocks your diagram

[dontmesswithpandas]

@under25toride turn them off...

[sw0nze]

this guy is the best thankz so much help so much

[astral360]

I remember doing the LA triathlon, waves were too big and people we getting pushed back, a couple of us found a rip current earlier that day and swam in it. That was probably the fastest 1500m I've done.

[allenzero1]

@astral360 thats some balls well done!

[ronzy]

A fatal mistake in this video, repeated by lifeguards across the world

If stuck in a rip DO NOT try to swim ANYWHERE, reserve your energy and focus on staying afloat

Beaches do not ONLY have rip currents taking you away from the shore. Beaches have SIGNIFICANT cross shore (parallel) currents

This vid tells you to swim parallel 'one way or another'. DO NOT! One of those ways will be AGAINST the cross-shore current, wasting your energy and you could drown. I'm happy to give more details...

[Anthony92841]

@ronzy and who are you?

[ronzy]

@Anthony92841 a Uni student in this sort of stuff, coastal oceanography, etc...

[Bullzeye95]

@ronzy I can't help but feel like 90% of this furor over rips is unnecessary. If you swim between the flags on a lifeguarded beach only when it is open (like ALL non-skilled swimmers should), the point is moot and there'll likely never be a rip that will harm you.

On the other hand, even being a great swimmer's not going to help you if you get caught in a headland rip under a pier or next to a jetty and get slammed against barnacle encrusted pilings or rocks.

Use common sense where you swim!

[ronzy]

@Bullzeye95 Hello Bullzeye. I can see how you miss-interpreted my comment as being a furor, I simply ran out of space and had to edit out any politeness. Hundreds of people drown on both lifeguarded and non-lifeguarded beaches around the world every year. My intention was to better inform all beach goers in the hope of possibly saving lives. I honestly can't see anything unnecessary in that.....

[ronzy]

@Bullzeye95 ....The ultimate point is, many people (particularly tourists) don't use common sense on where they swim, and then they do find themselves in trouble. PLEASE JUST SAVE YOUR ENERGY AND STAY AFLOAT. There are minorities who do understand the ocean and can use rips to their advantage (even when in trouble) - eg experienced surfers, specific oceanographers, experienced lifeguards, those who live by the coast pay attention and learn. It's the knowledge and understanding which can save you

[Bullzeye95]

@ronzy No furor, no worries. Thank you for your concern and your info, sir.

[allenzero1]

@Bullzeye95 Another big mistake is getting pulled out over a reef YIKES they will tear you to ribbons!

[allenzero1]

@ronzy depends 2 if it's Ocean based if so getting dragged out can be lethal just the same butalso as he said reefs could be 2 ether side which will also mess you up pretty badly, So in the end it's about staying calm an considering your situation wisely not in haste.:.

[CaptainCrunch4Me]

o.O

If I was caught in one, I'd probably attempt to swim against it :P

[randomboys1000]

my friend Will got caught by a rip current. and he swam against the current and made it back to shore! and when i asked him how he said it wasent that strong.

[CannedKoolaid]

ya friends a tool

[randomboys1000]

i guess so! although it could have been just the weakest type of rip current. this is why i dont go into oceans. i prefer bays and pools XD

[allenzero1]

@randomboys1000 they can vary in strength widely

[randomboys1000]

@allenzero1 mother nature lol

[man11withaplan]

four weeks ago at seal beach, I got caught in a rip current, I got tumbled and got so strong that I hit my head at the bottom floor of the beach.

This is great advice man. If that Lifeguard was not on duty, I wouldn't be typing this comment

[loadeduk]

Rip Currents dont pull you under, I think you was in a waterfall! or maybe a washing machine lol

[surfit121]

@man11withaplan

are you talking about the seal beach in cali near huntington? because i live near seal beach

[DRthirdLEGGED]

you probably saved my life and the other 7,816 people who watched this, thank you

[pantex1928]

This guy is a winner. Thanks!

[xwishmasterx2]

This guy is a life saver!

[cosmicGOON]

Somebody drowned in the great lakes also.

FrOM a strong current

[allenzero1]

@cosmicGOON I live in Michigan an I can attest to that it's all 2 true.

Our fuckin lakes our so big they generate many dangerous currents some spots the Ocean is WAY safer,

Aka near our Detroit river in a lot of spots namely near the bridge will kill you 4 sure

[LamarApplePie]

very well done...good job

[JR6355]

this video can save lives nice work expertvillage!

[RonaldStNickolas]

Once at Manflatan Beach I was done surfing garbage waves and looked back to see the water level rising and falling about 3 feet in this one area with not much lateral movement. Somebody drowned there sometime after that.

[EcoWhale]

I would have drowned if I didn't stop panicking and swim parallel to get out; it worked quickly thank God.

[danyfilthee]

Thx man. i got stuked swiming against one, i really panic lol but i manege to get to the short :)

[MLB89]

Finally a video where someone explains it perfectly. Was wondering what the heck was a rip current and the previous 4-5 videos were helpless.

Wow, not even Michael Phelps could beat that?!

[pwnsenburg]

nope, he would be far too high to swim against a rip current haha

[cryps1]

not unless he's high!

[allenzero1]

@MLB89 most true RIP currents no but many ppl call any pulling current a RIP current by mistake

[nealo786]

Very well explained. I've seen so many animations and graphics and "expert" explanations, but this guy gets right to the point and explains it perfectly. Great Video!