The most dangerous threat in ocean water

Most beach goers think that a shark is most dangerous thing in the water. However Ocean City Beach Patrol tells 47 ABC that the real danger lies in something called rip currents.

 A rip current occurs when there’s break in the sand bar and tides are low, the water rushes back through that break carrying anything in its path out with it.

Capt. Butch Arbin of the OC Beach Patrol said their lifeguards make between 2,000 to 4,000 saves per summer. Arbin added that 95% of those rescues come as a result of rip currents.

“We were just hanging out we were trying to swim and then we got stuck in a rip tide,” said one beach goer, 21-year-old Ellie Eichhorn of Baltimore. “You know all the preventative things to do like swimming sideways and stuff but it’s really hard to try and get it under control, so I got stuck and started to panic and we needed a life guard to come save us.”

Arbin said rip currents can be spotted just by checking the water around you.

“A rip current is very identifiable because of the fact that water is moving out, the white foam that breaks after the waves – you’ll see a strip of it going into the ocean,” Arbin said.

If you don’t feel the rip current, Abrin said, you’ll definitely know when you’re caught in one.  

“People actually feel their feet being dragged along the bottom and you just can’t keep your feet down and next thing you know, suddenly you’re into water that’s chest rep, shoulder deep and eventually over your head and if you’re not a good swimmer, you’re in trouble,” Arbin told 47 ABC.

 Because of the danger OC Beach Patrol warns not to swim when lifeguards aren’t on duty.

 If you do get caught in a rip current, they say to swim sideways as trying to swim directly back through the current is too risky.

OC Beach Patrol recommends remembering this acronym – R.I.P – that could help save your life. R for relax don’t panic — I for I need help — and P for – parallel meaning to swim sideways.