Rip current risk high on Long Island beaches, National Weather Service says
A rip current sign at Cooper's Beach in Southampton this past summer. Credit: Randee Daddona
A high rip current risk is in effect for all Long Island ocean beaches, including those in Queens and Brooklyn, through Monday evening.
A rip current is a powerful, narrow channel of fast-moving water that can be life-threatening for swimmers. Six people died after getting caught in rip currents in Florida oceans Thursday and Friday.
Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the best way to avoid the dangers of rip currents is to stay out of the ocean during the risk period. But if someone gets caught in a current, Ramsey said people should try to walk parallel to the shore.
“If you’re close to shore and waist deep in the water, you can probably walk parallel to the shore and get out of the rip current," Ramsey said. "Otherwise, if you’re too far out and the water is above your waist, it’s advisable to float or swim parallel to the shore.”
"It’s better to save your strength for when you’re out of the current, rather than in the current,” he said.
Ramsey also said no swimmer is immune to the dangers of rip currents.
“They can keep even the best swimmers away from the shore,” he said. “They can be a complete novice or an advanced swimmer, if they’re caught in a rip current, it can be a dangerous situation.”
Two teen boys went missing in the waters off Jacob Riis Park in Queens on Friday. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing teens Saturday evening.
The weather service urges people to follow these tips 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 — toward shore.
- If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim toward shore.
- If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.
Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.