It’s Rip Current Awareness Week

We received press releases from both the Sheriff’s Office and the HMB Fire District about this one.  Be careful out there.

In an effort to heighten public awareness of rip currents at surf beaches, NOAA designates June 4-10 as national Rip Current Awareness Week.

Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore.  On average, more people die every year from rip currents than from shark attacks, tornadoes or lightning. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, 80 percent of surf beach rescues are attributed to rip currents, and more than 100 people die annually from drowning when they are unable to escape a rip current.

Rip currents can attain speeds as high as 8 feet per second.  This is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint!

Rip currents do not pull people under the water- they pull them away from shore.

The Half Moon Bay Fire District joins with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in bringing to the attention of the water-going public the Inaugural National Rip Current Awareness Week. Click for safety tips.

USGS, via Wikipedia

Learn how to swim!

When at the beach:

• Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected beach.


• Never swim alone.


• Learn how to swim in the surf.  It’s not the same as swimming in a pool or lake.


• Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out.


• Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water. This is part of their job.


• Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Permanent rip currents often exist along side these structures.


• Consider using polarized sunglasses when at the beach. They will help you to spot signatures of rip currents by cutting down glare and reflected sunlight off the ocean’s surface.


• Pay especially close attention to children and elderly when at the beach. Even in shallow water, wave action can cause loss of footing.

If caught in a rip current:

• Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.


• Never fight against the current.


• Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of.


• Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle—away from the current—towards shore.


• If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.


• If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.

If you see someone in trouble, don’t become a victim too:

• Get help from a lifeguard.


• If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1.


• Throw the rip current victim something that floats—a lifejacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball.


• Yell instructions on how to escape.


• Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.