CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With the disturbance in the Gulf, many like to head out to our beaches to take in the sights, catch some waves and swim. It's important to know that with that the current activity in the Gulf can cause an increase rip currents.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA describes rip currents as powerful and narrow channels of moving water.
With the ability to travel up to eight feet per second, it's important to know what to do if you encounter one on our beaches.
Local swim instructor and surfer, Terry White says that while getting caught in a rip current can be scary, the first thing you should do when encountering one is to try and stay calm.
When you panic is when he says you start to waste your energy.
“Don't fight it. It's a fight that you're not going to win. “Don't swim against it,” White said. “You want to swim parallel to the beach. You want to swim out of that pocket. Get out of that rip current and then try to make your way back to shore.”
It's also important to remember to be aware of the water's behavior before heading into it. The higher the water comes up on the beach, the stronger the rip current is going to be taking that water back to sea.
While they're dangerous, rip currents are not always the easiest to spot. U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Luke Matthews says before heading into the water, it's important to keep your guard up.
"If there's a lot a wave action, it's a little easier to tell.,” Matthews said. “The discoloration of the water, the seafoam kind of shooting offshore is a good indication of a rip current. In that area the waves won't totally be braking at that point, so that's how you can kind of try to spot them. It's really tricky. Talk to your lifeguards if they're out there. They're usually a little higher and they can see the rip currents.”
For more information about rip currents, you can visit NOAA's website or click here to watch the 3NEWS Hurricane Special.