The Best Way to Get Out of a Rip Current, According to an Aquatic Safety Expert

We’ll say it: Swimming at the beach can be scary — we’re looking at you, rip currents. Each year, thousands of Americans are rescued from them and about 100 are killed by them, according to NOAA. 

Given how common they are in nature, we asked Rachel Griffiths, DrPH, director of research and education at Aquatic Safety Research Group, the real question on our mind:

What should I do if I get stuck in a rip current?

First and most importantly, “take a deep breath and relax. The danger comes when people panic, which can be scary when you see the shore getting farther and farther away,” Griffiths explains. The good news is that rip currents are short, “so a person could relax, use deep breathing and relaxation breathing, and ride it out.” You can also try swimming parallel to the shore, which helps you avoid fighting the current. 

Griffiths also explains the importance of having someone with you at the beach. They can “get qualified help to assist them if possible, like a lifeguard, or … something that can be used as rescue equipment to throw to them. We too often see people drowning in a riptide trying to save others,” she says.

One pro tip for summer swimming: Don’t go solo. Whether it’s keeping an eye on the kids in arm’s reach or having a buddy nearby at the beach, it’s always smart to have someone with you, she says. “Even when I go in the ocean, I want someone there to watch me at the least, just in case,” Griffiths says.