What do you do if you are caught in an undertow?

Always swim with an adult who can help you or call for help in case of an emergency. If you are dragged in by an undertow, you must stay calm in order to resist the process. Don't wear yourself out swimming against the current. The most important thing is to stay afloat.

Is it possible to escape an undertow?

Due to the undertow misnomer, it's often believed that rip currents drag swimmers down below the surface, but this is untrue. Rips actually pull swimmers out away from the shore and beyond the surf zone.

How do you get out of an undertow rip current?

Wave, yell,

The best way to survive a rip current is to stay afloat and yell for help. You can also swim parallel to the shore to escape the rip current. This will allow more time for you to be rescued or for you to swim back to shore once the current eases.

Can undertow pull you under?

Most undertows are not very strong, and the risk of one is most severe for inexperienced swimmers who are standing or swimming near breaking waves. An undertow can pull someone underwater for a few seconds, but if the swimmer remains calm and swims towards the surface, he or she should be OK.

Will a life jacket save you in an undertow?

But you have to dive under the breaking wave crests or you make no progress swimming against the surf. If you wear a life jacket in that situation, it won't let you dive under.

How to Survive An Undertow

How can you tell if there is an undertow?

Beachgoers feel like they are being sucked underwater when the wave breaks over their head - this is an undertow. Bathers will be tumbled around roughly, but this return flow only goes a short distance to the next breaking wave. It will not pull you offshore into deep water.

What's the difference between a rip current and an undertow?

An undertow occurs everywhere underneath shore-approaching waves, whereas rip currents are localized narrow offshore currents occurring at certain locations along the coast.

How far can rip currents take you?

Rip currents are generally no wider than about 15 m (16.4 yards), so you only need to swim a short distance to try and get out of the current. Once out of it, you should be able to stand up and make your way back to shore in the areas where you can see breaking waves.

Why is it called an undertow?

It goes by many names: the undertow, the John Wayne, the breakfast shot and the under-bro. It was allegedly developed by Starbucks baristas with too much time on their hands, and spread by word of mouth among employees.

Do lakes have Undertows?

You may have heard about the rip tide or undertow before. These are terms that people commonly use to describe dangerous currents. However, since there are no tides in the Great Lakes (needed to form a rip tide) and currents don't pull a person down under the water (undertow), they are a bit inaccurate.

How do you survive drowning on the beach?

“If you want to survive a drowning incident, you have to stay at the surface and continue breathing, by treading water and floating or having a flotation device with you,” he said.

Do riptides pull you under?

A rip current won't pull you underwater. It'll just pull you away from shore. If you feel that you're able to swim, do so parallel to the shore until you're out of the current and then swim back to shore at an angle. If you feel that you can't swim, tread or back float, try to wave and yell for help while floating.

How do you avoid being smashed by waves?

In the shallows as a general rule stand sideways on to a wave with your feet wide apart. Once you're above waist-height in the water, swim over waves, or if they're breaking, dive under them with your arms out in front to protect your neck.

How do you survive a sneaker wave?

If you are dragged by a wave, plant your walking stick, cane or umbrella as deeply into the sand as you can. Hang on until the wave passes. If you are carried out by a sneaker wave, don't panic. Swim parallel to the shore until you can swim in safely.

Which of these is the best choice for a swimmer caught in a rip current?

A person caught in a rip can be swept away from shore very quickly. The best way to escape a rip current is by swimming parallel to the shore instead of towards it, since most rip currents are less than 80 feet wide.

Can you survive a rip current?

Trying to swim against a rip current will only use up your energy; energy you need to survive and escape the rip current. Do NOT try to swim directly into to shore. Swim along the shoreline until you escape the current's pull. When free from the pull of the current, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.

What is undertow ocean?

undertow, a strong seaward bottom current returning the water of broken waves back out to sea. There is in fact no such current in a gross sense, for the overall flow of surface water toward the shore in a surf zone is very small.

What does a rip current feel like?

Those who understand the dynamics of rip currents advise remaining calm. Conserve energy. A rip current is like a giant water treadmill that you can't turn off, so it does no good to try to swim against it. "Even small rips can flow faster than a person can swim.