Your instinct screams to swim harder toward shore. Your lungs burn. Your arms feel like lead. But that’s exactly when you need to do the opposite—and that counterintuitive move could save your life.
Rip currents are deceptively dangerous. They’re narrow channels of water moving rapidly away from the beach, and they’re responsible for more beach rescues every year than any other hazard. The United States Lifesaving Association reports that roughly 100 people drown from rip currents annually along U.S. beaches, with more than 80% of all beach rescues involving them. Already in 2026, at least 21 deaths from rip currents have been recorded in U.S. waters.
What makes them so lethal isn’t that they pull you under—they don’t. It’s that they can move at speeds up to 8 feet per second, faster than even a strong swimmer can fight. According to San Diego Lifeguard Marine Safety Lt. Charlie Knight,“A rip current is like a river that pulls out to sea. So when the waves come into the beach, it needs somewhere to go. And so it takes these little channels out that we call rip currents to put all that water back into the ocean.”Low spots along the beach or areas near jetties and piers are common formation zones, and here’s the kicker—they’re hard to spot because the surface often looks calm, even deceptively safe.
This is where panic becomes your worst enemy. People caught in rip currents typically exhaust themselves by fighting directly against the current, trying desperately to reach the beach. Instead, lifeguards recommend the“flip, float and follow”technique: flip onto your back, float to conserve energy and stay calm, and let the current carry you out. Once it dissipates—and it will—raise your arm to signal for help. Knight emphasizes:“If you are caught in a rip current, the biggest thing is don’t panic, stay calm, flip over onto your back, float and allow the rip current to take you out.”
If you spot someone struggling in a rip current, don’t become a second victim. Finding a lifeguard or calling 911 is always the safer play than attempting a solo rescue. And before you head to the water, check the flag warning system at your beach—red flags indicate high hazard conditions, yellow means moderate risk, and green signals low danger. The National Weather Service even posts rip current risk forecasts on its websites and has developed a computer model that can predict conditions up to six days in advance for the East and Gulf Coasts, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Guam. When in doubt, swim near a lifeguard station.
The ocean’s power commands respect, but knowledge and a calm head are your best defense.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
