At surf beaches, we were told that the greatest percentage of drownings result from persons exhausting themselves fighting currents and waves. By understanding how a wave works you will understand how to react to certain circumstances when they occur. For instance, when a wave breaks on the beach and returns back to sea, it gains momentum and can knock individuals off their feet and sweep them swiftly into the surf. If you are carried out, don't resist. The undertow will subside once it hits the surf line.
Swimmers get in trouble in the undertow when they panic.
The ocean is a great place to be if you know what to look for and how to react if caught off guard. Tides M ost visitors to the Cape today have little reason to pay attention to the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide. A hundred years ago the lives of the people of Cape Cod were inseparably connected to the sea. They relied on the ocean-going vessels for their food, travel, and trade, so an understanding of the tides was essential for their survival. Today, though the tides play a smaller part in daily life, they are still an important factor to bear in mind when living at or visiting the coast.