Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#1

Post by MarioV » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 2:50 AM UTC

Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents
mariovittone.com

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#2

Post by btilly » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 3:20 AM UTC

This is part of a series. See http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1492835 for discussion of a previous entry.

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#3

Post by iamelgringo » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 4:30 AM UTC

If you get stuck in a rip current or rip tide, the trick is to not swim toward the beach against the current. You'll often lose. Swim perpendicular to the current (parallel to the beach) for a while, until you feel like you're not getting pulled out to sea any more. Then, swim with the waves back to the shore.

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#4

Post by code_duck » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 4:48 AM UTC

This is a major problem on the Great Lakes, too. Scary because I'm planning on taking a Lake Michigan swimming trip ASAP but I don't have anyone to come and swim with me this time :(

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#5

Post by dasil003 » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 6:11 AM UTC

This was even more helpful IMO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hCZuYzNujI

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#6

Post by woodall » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 7:18 AM UTC

code_duck wrote: post #4

This is a major problem on the Great Lakes, too. Scary because I'm planning on taking a Lake Michigan swimming trip ASAP but I don't have anyone to come and swim with me this time :(

Here[1] is a piece specifically about the Great Lakes. It comes out of the 2009 Great Lakes Rip Current Conference.

[1] http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/coastal_communities/rip

[2] http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/newsletter/2004/06/rip_currents_...

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"Rip currents are formed when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach. One of the ways that this water returns to sea is to form a rip current, a narrow jet of water moving swiftly offshore, roughly perpendicular to the shoreline. Rip currents can be found on many surf beaches every day. Rip currents most typically form at low spots or breaks in sandbars, and also near structures such as groins, jetties and piers. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes."

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#7

Post by c1sc0 » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 8:49 AM UTC

I find it interesting that so many swimming articles have been making the homepage lately. Sports is an unlikely topic for HN, given the nerd factor and all, but there are many topics in sports / training theory that are certainly 'gratifying my intellectual curiosity'. Would more articles about sports tech / physiology be appropriate? Discuss!

Re: Avoiding and Escaping Rip Currents

#8

Post by code_duck » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 6:34 PM UTC

woodall wrote: post #6

code_duck wrote: post #4

This is a major problem on the Great Lakes, too. Scary because I'm planning on taking a Lake Michigan swimming trip ASAP but I don't have anyone to come and swim with me this time :(

Here[1] is a piece specifically about the Great Lakes. It comes out of the 2009 Great Lakes Rip Current Conference. [1] http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/coastal_communities/rip [2] http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/newsletter/2004/06/rip_currents_... ----- "Rip currents are formed when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach. One of the ways that this water returns to sea is to f…

yeah, it's also forecast to be particularly bad in Lake Superior this year because the surface water is 10-20 degrees warmer than usual. Good swimming, except for the whole drowning angle. Thanks for the links.