SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/fish-rip-current-escape

You are caught in a rip current. What does NOAA say to do?

Swim parallel to shore.

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  1. Swim parallel to shore ✔
  2. Swim straight back against the current
  3. Dive down and crawl along the bottom

Why: Rip currents pull you away from shore, but they are narrow. Swim along the shore, then angle back to land.

Huh, didn't know that: Rip currents can move up to eight feet per second, faster than an Olympic swimmer.

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References

Answer: Swim parallel to shore. Rip currents pull you away from shore, but they are narrow. Swim along the shore, then angle back to land.

  1. NOAA What is a rip current? oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ripcurrent.html
    If caught in a rip current, don't fight it! Swim parallel to the shore and swim back to land at an angle.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. NOAA What is a rip current? oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ripcurrent.html
    Moving at speeds of up to eight feet per second, rip currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  3. NWS Rip currents www.weather.gov/safety/ripcurrent
    The chances of drowning at a beach with lifeguards are 1 in 18 million
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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