{"id":43935,"date":"2024-12-26T08:58:12","date_gmt":"2024-12-26T06:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/guard-against-becoming-a-rip-current-casualty-20241226\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T23:37:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T21:37:30","slug":"guard-against-becoming-a-rip-current-casualty-20241226","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/guard-against-becoming-a-rip-current-casualty-20241226\/","title":{"rendered":"Guard against becoming a rip current casualty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>On average, 56 people drown because of rip currents in South Africa each year. Rips are the most significant danger beach visitors face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<p>The National Sea Rescue Institute\u2019s (NSRI) top tip for avoiding rips and staying safe as warm weather continues is visiting a beach where and when lifeguards are on duty.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>NSRI Lifeguard managers Rebecca Carter-Smith and Mthe Kweyama offer good advice on staying safe at the beach during the summer holidays.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cAlcohol and going into the water should be avoided at all costs,\u201d says Mthe. \u201cSwimming after consuming alcohol puts your life at significant risk,\u201d he added. \u201cAlcohol compromises your judgment, lessens your ability to cope with cold water, reduces your ability to stay afloat and reduces your ability to concentrate. If parents or caregivers are looking after children in or near water, drinking alcohol will reduce their ability to be able to help their children if the need arises.\u201d<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cPlease don\u2019t drink before going into the water,\u201d adds Kweyama.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cSupervision of children is critical,\u201d agrees Carter-Smith. \u201cDrowning is silent. There will not be any shouts for help or splashing. If someone is starting to drown, often they will quietly slip under the water without making any noise. Parents should take responsibility for their children and be at arm\u2019s length from them when in the water.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Most people need help to correctly identify dangerous or rip currents at beaches. Lifeguards can keep you safe between their flags \u2013 so rather go into the water there.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Characteristics of rip currents<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that flow away from the shore, posing a significant danger to beachgoers. They typically form where waves break over sandbars or reefs, creating localised water movements that pull swimmers out to sea.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rip currents can reach almost 3 meters per second, making them faster than an Olympic swimmer. They develop when waves push water towards the shore, raising the water level. This excess water then seeks to return to the ocean through the path of least resistance, often forming a current through gaps in sandbars or other underwater features.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Several visual cues identify rip currents:<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Darker water indicates deeper channels where waves do not break.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Gaps between waves: Areas where fewer or no waves are breaking can signal a rip current.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Choppy surface: A distinct channel of turbulent water surrounded by smoother areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<p>Rip currents are the leading cause of rescues by lifeguards at beaches. They do not pull individuals under the water but can quickly drag them away from the beach. Panic often leads swimmers to swim against the current, which can result in exhaustion and drowning.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Tips if caught in current<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>If caught in a rip current, it is crucial to remember to stay calm<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Do not panic; conserve energy by floating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Swim out of the current: Instead of swimming directly back to land, swim sideways to escape the current\u2019s grip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Signal for help: Raise your arm and shout for assistance if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<p>If you see someone who needs help in the water, call a lifeguard or the NSRI for help. (112 is a free call from your cell phone, or contact the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre on 087 094 9774).<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Try to throw something that floats to the person who needs help. Remember that untrained people should only go into the water to help if they are strong swimmers and have flotation. An NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy or surfboard is a good example of floatation.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Interestingly, since the Pink Buoy project started in late 2017, 130 people, in 100 instances, were rescued with a Pink Buoy because of rip currents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On average, 56 people drown because of rip currents in South Africa each year. Rips are the most significant danger beach visitors face.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":43937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"3924daec-1011-4123-b391-c87a0a5eec65","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_priva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