By T. Scott Boatright
Summertime and swimming. The two go hand-in-hand this time of year.
But there’s a third “s” that must be added to that equation, and that’s “safety.”
There’s been all too much bad news about drowning deaths across the nation early on in the summer of 2023.
And unfortunately, but hopefully turning fortunately in the future, many if not most of those deaths can be preventable,
The term “rip tide” has been often-used by national news networks so far this summer. But that’s not quite accurate. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rip currents are different from rip tides. A rip tide is a specific type of current associated with the swift movement of tidal water through inlets and the mouths of estuaries, embayments, and harbors.
So it’s rip currents that have caused some issues along the Gulf Coast, the travel destination of many Lincoln Parish residents during the summertime, early on this summer.
Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes. Moving at speeds of up to eight feet per second, rip currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer.
Panicked swimmers often try to counter a rip current, powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes, by swimming straight back to shore—putting themselves at risk of drowning because of fatigue.
On Wednesday the Associated Press reported that a firefighter from Georgia and two fathers who drowned while trying to save their children are among at least 10 recent victims of dangerous rip currents along Gulf of Mexico beaches stretching across Florida’s Panhandle to Mobile, Alabama.
Former University of Arkansas standout quarterback Ryan Mallet, who went on to play a few years in the NFL, drowned Tuesday at the age of 35 along the Florida coast, but local officials on Wednesday said rip currents were not observed regarding that incident, but— yellow caution flags, not double red flags warning of rip currents, were flying at the beach Mallet was on.
Officials say that paying close attention to the beach flag warning system is key to making coastal swimming as safe as possible.
According to the National Weather Service, yellow flags mean some rip current activity is expected and that swimmers should be cautious if entering the water, shouldn’t swim alone, and should know what to do if caught in a rip current. Red flags mean dangerous rip current activity is expected. The rip currents would be likely to be stronger and more frequent.
There are nine types of beach safety flags:
• The Yellow Flag designates a medium hazard when moderate surf and/or currents are present. Weak swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. For others, enhanced care and caution should be exercised.
• The Red Flag designates a high hazard when rough conditions such as strong surf and/or currents are present. All swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. Those entering the water should take great care.
• The Red Over Red (Double Red) Flag designates that Water is closed to public use.
• The Purple Flag designates that marine pests are present. Jellyfish, stingrays, sea snakes, or other marine life are present in the water and can cause minor injuries. This flag is not intended to indicate the presence of sharks. In this latter case, the red flag or double red flag may be hoisted.
• The Red Over Yellow Flag designates a recommended swimming area with lifeguard supervision and that the area is protected by lifeguards. These flags may be used in pairs spaced apart to indicate a designated area or zone along a beach or waterfront that is most closely supervised or patrolled by qualified lifeguards and where swimming and/or body surfing is permitted. These flags may be used singly to indicate that swimming is permitted in front of the area where the flag is flown and that the area is under the supervision of a qualified person.
• The Black and White Quartered Flag designates a watercraft area. These flags may be used in pairs spaced apart to indicate a designated area or zone along a beach or waterfront used by those with surfboards and other non-powered watercraft.
• The Black Ball Flag designates that Watercraft, including surfboards and non-powered watercraft, are prohibited.
• The Sun Warning Flag, a black flag with a black ball surrounded by circles indicating coronal waves, indicates a high level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, presenting a high risk of developing melanoma, i.e., skin cancer, and that beach-goers should stay out of the sun by finding some shade.
• The Orange Windsock Flag indicates that offshore winds present, inflatables should not be used This cone-shaped device is used to indicate the direction of offshore winds and to show that it is unsafe for inflatable objects to be used in the water.
Officials say that knowing how to swim and what level a person can swim are also key to coastal safety, and that there are warning signs when rip currents are present.
According to TidalHealth.org, People should avoid swimming or wading near the shore where waves aren’t breaking, or where there are flat spots in the line of breaking waves, because those are be signs of rip currents.
Another indication of a rip current might be where there’s foam or sediment in the water being transported away from the beach offshore.
That websites offers the following tips should a swimmer find themselves caught up in a rip current:
• Relax; rip currents don’t pull you under
• Don’t try to swim back to shore against the current
• Swim parallel to the shore until out of the current.
• If you can’t escape, float or tread water until you escape the current or are rescued.
• If you need help, draw attention to yourself by yelling and waving for assistance
• Relax! Don’t panic
• Call for assistance by yelling to those on shore
• Swim parallel to shore to get out of the rip current
TidalHealth.org also offers the following tips for those on a beach seeing a swimmer caught in a rip current:
• Don’t become a victim yourself.
• Call a lifeguard
• If a lifeguard isn’t available, call 911.
• Throw the person something that floats (like a lifejacket, body board, inflatable tube or raft)
• Don’t enter the water without a flotation device
• Those on the beach can also yell instructions to the person on how to escape the rip current until help arrives
