A Pennsylvania couple drowned in a rip current while on vacation in Florida with their six children, according to authorities.
A Pennsylvania couple drowned in a rip current while on vacation in Florida with their six children, according to authorities.
Just swim sideways or float. It’s so easy to float in the ocean and doesn’t take much energy. Most people panic, though, and don’t remember to do simple things. When I was in lifeguard training, most of the stuff they teach you is how to deal with completely irrational actions people do when panicking.
Also, never underestimate the ocean (or any moving water). I’ve been swimming, waterskiing, surfing, scuba diving, whitewater kayaking, sailing for over 40 years, and I’ve had a TON of instances of “oh shit, I have zero control over what the water is doing to me right now.” Just completely powerless as the ocean tosses you around or the river pulls you down behind a boulder and holds you until you can find the bottom and kick out of the “hole.”
There’s nothing more terrifying than getting pitted into the sea bottom by a wave. It was drilled into my head as a child that you need to respect the ocean or it will kill you for your arrogance.
Yeah, the “washing machine” while you try to find the bottom to kick off. You’re in 3ft of water and can’t find either the bottom or the air.