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76

from a Rip Current Safety Poster by NOAA’s National Weather Service, 

NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program, and 

the United States Lifesaving Association

(http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/signs/rip_signs-r.pdf)

Rip Currents

“I grew up swimming in the ocean and am very comfortable 

in it. One of my favorite pastimes in the ocean is diving under 

breakers and floating over swells. [Once], I dove under a 

wave... but when I surfaced and looked back over my shoulder, I was way out from the shore. I knew immediately what 

had happened. I tried swimming parallel to the shore, but was 

still in a very strong current and began to tire quickly.

Then a wave broke over my head, and I felt the panic rising. I 

know that panic is one’s worst enemy in the water, so I floated 

and treaded water for a few minutes to catch my breath and relax. ...When I looked out to sea to keep an eye on the swells,...I 

realized that just a little further out, there were surfers.

[So]instead of trying to make it back to shore on my own, I 

turned and swam out to where they were. I told them what had 

happened and asked if one of them would allow me to accompany him into shore using his board as a boogie board for both 

of us. Of course, one of them agreed.

It took both of us to get far enough away from the current so 

we could paddle back into shore. I feel very fortunate that I 

recognized what had happened, knew not to panic, and was 

able to find a solution.”

by Kathryn T. Graham

from the National Weather Service Rip Current Safety Web page

http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/survivor.shtml

• A channel of churning, choppy water

• A difference in water color

• A line of foam, seaweed or debris moving 

out to sea

• A break in the incoming wave pattern

There are three basic safety rules for ocean swimming:

• Swim near a lifeguard

• Never swim alone

• If in doubt, don’t go out

If you are ever caught in a rip current:

• Relax and float, rip currents do not pull you 

under

• Don’t swim against the current

• Swim in a direction following the shoreline, 

or toward breaking waves

• If you need help, call or wave your arms for 

assistance

What You Will Do

Demonstrate why swimmers caught in 

rip currents have to swim following the 

shoreline to escape

Rip currents are powerful, 

channeled currents of 

water flowing away from 

shore. They can occur at 

any beach with breaking 

waves, including many 

Great Lakes. These 

currents are killers. The 

United States Lifesaving 

Association estimates that 

every year, rip currents on 

our nation’s beaches kill 

more than 100 people.

Here are some clues that 

a rip current may be 

present:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 77

Science | SERVICE | Stewardship UNDERSTAND THE EARTH

What You Will Need

r Two or more strips of ribbon, rope or string, 

each at least ten feet long; if you have a 

choice, a blue color is good for representing 

ocean waves

r At least fi ve people, including yourself

How to Do It

1. Have pairs of participants hold opposite ends 

of the rope or ribbon. You will need at least 

two pairs of participants to do the demonstration.

2. Designate one side of a room or outdoor space 

as the “shore” and the opposite side as “deep 

water.”

3. Have pairs of participants stand so that the 

rope or ribbon is stretched out, and is perpendicular to the shore. These participants 

and their ropes or ribbons represent waves.

4. Place a “trapped swimmer” participant in the 

“current” between two of the “waves.” 

5. Have the “swimmer” walk toward the “deeper 

water,” as if being carried out by the current. 

The “trapped swimmer” can only escape by 

swimming in a direction following the shoreline until she or he is out of the rip current. 

Then he or she can use the waves to return 

safely to the beach.

Want to Do More?

• Find out more about rip currents and other 

beach hazards on NOAA’s rip current Web site 

at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.

• In coastal areas, many of NOAA’s National 

Weather Service Forecast Offi ces issue a Rip 

Current Outlook as a part of their Surf Zone 

Forecast. NOAA identifi es days with forecasts 

for particularly dangerous rip currents with 

“High Risk of rip currents.” Visit: http://www.

ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml to 

learn more.

• NWS National Seasonal Safety Campaign - 

 National Weather Service:

 NOAA NWS Weather Ready Nation Seasonal 

Safety Campaigns have replaced the awareness/preparedness weeks we had with the 

exception of a couple, one being Hurricane 

Preparedness Week. 

 The aim of the National Seasonal Safety 

Campaign is to build a Weather-Ready Nation, 

one that is prepared for extreme weather, 

water, and climate events. With the National 

Seasonal Safety Campaign, we seek to inform 

the public about seasonal weather hazards 

during the time they are most common.

https://www.weather.gov/safetycampaign

Close up of Rip Current

Courtesy of Lifeguard Captain Nick Steers, 

County of Los Angeles Fire Department

Beach View of Rip Current Along Jetty

Courtesy of Dr. Tom Herrington, Stevens Institute of Technology

Rip Current on Grand Avenue Beach

Courtesy of Chris Brewster, USLA