The Invisible Danger Lurking at the Jersey Shore

The Invisible Danger Lurking at the Jersey Shore

canva

We've been told all our lives, please be careful swimming in the ocean, especially with the rip currents. Lately, we've been hearing more and more about drownings or getting caught in a rip current.

With the Atlantic Ocean’s wave patterns, tides, and sandbars along the Jersey Shore, rip currents frequently form especially after storms or on windy days. The National Weather Service often issues Rip Current Advisories for the region.

Beach Radio logo
Get our free mobile app

The rip currents are stronger than you think. Rip currents can move at speeds up to 8 feet per second, faster than an Olympic swimmer. Wow! They don’t pull you under, but they do pull you away from shore, fast. Many drownings happen when swimmers panic and try to fight the current.

Even the most experienced swimmers have trouble in rip currents. Strong swimmers can get caught and quickly exhausted if they don’t know what to do.

Safety Tips Before You Hit the Water

The question is how do we stay safe in the ocean. I go into the ocean, I love it by the way, to my ankles. I never went out real far and I always wondered why people love to swim so far out.

How to stay safe swimming at the Jersey Shore?

  • Always swim near a lifeguard
  • Most drownings from rip currents happen at unguarded beaches.
  • Know the forecast by checking the daily rip current risk at weather.gov/beach or look for warning flags posted by lifeguards.

The 4 signs of a rip current 

  • A channel of churning, choppy water
  • A noticeable difference in water color
  • A break in the wave pattern
  • Foam or seaweed moving away from shore

If you're caught in a rip current here's what you should do. Don't fight it. Swim parallel to the shore to get out of the current, then swim back in. If you can't escape, float or tread water and signal for help.

Keep Reading: 5 Hidden Kayaking Spots in New Jersey You Have to Check Out 

You don’t need to avoid the beach, just respect the ocean. Knowing the risk and how to respond can keep you, your family, and friends safe.

25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.  

Offbeat adventures: Travel to the coolest hidden wonders in every U.S. state

Fuel your offbeat travel dreams. Stacker found the coolest hidden wonders in all 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) using data from Atlas Obscura.

[WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter private or abandoned property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing.]

Gallery Credit: Sandi Hemmerlein

Filed Under: New Jersey, Jersey Shore, Ocean, Shore Facebook
Categories: Articles