Rip Current Safety
The best way to be safe on Kauai beaches is to understand the danger of rip currents, learn to identify them, and then avoid them altogether. However, if you do find yourself in a rip current, here are some tips to help save you.
Don’t fight the current
Rip current speeds are typically 1 to 2 feet per second. However, speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured. Since this is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint, rip currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Don’t panic, conserve energy, float, breathe, and wave for help.
Swim out of the current, then to shore
A swimmer caught in a rip current should not attempt to swim back to shore directly against the rip. This risks exhaustion and drowning. A rip does not pull a swimmer under water – it carries the swimmer away from the shore in a narrow channel of water. Swim parallel to the shoreline, and when out of the current, swim at an angle towards shore.
If you can’t escape, float or tread water
A swimmer in a strong rip, who is unable to swim away from it, should relax and calmly float or tread water to conserve energy. Eventually the rip will lose strength, and the swimmer can swim at a leisurely pace, in a direction away from the rip but back to shore.
If you need help, call or wave for assistance
Drowning deaths usually occur when people are unable to keep themselves afloat and swim back to shore. This may be due to fear, panic, exhaustion, a lack of swimming skills, or any combination of these factors. Wave your hands for help and wait for assistance.
The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards. They have also calculated that the chance a person will drown while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards is 1 in 18 million.
Check our Kauai Surf Report.
Kauai Lifeguard Tribute
Kauai beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world, but they are also among the most dangerous because of large waves and strong currents. Lifeguards are stationed at the most popular beaches to provide information and assist you in case of an emergency. They want you to have a safe and enjoyable time at our beaches, so it is far better to recognize that a beach is too dangerous and move to another, than to attempt entering the ocean and risk injury. Because conditions at beaches change quickly, Kauai lifeguards encourage you to follow these rules:
Water Safety Rule #1
The best place to swim is in front of a lifeguard stand. If you choose to enter the water on a secluded beach, no matter how good a swimmer you are, you are making what may be a fatal mistake.
Water Safety Rule #2
Never turn your back on the water, not even for a photograph. Most people who get in trouble never intended to go in.
Water Safety Rule #3
If in doubt, don’t go out. Swimming in front of the strong currents sign is a bad idea, even for a strong, experienced swimmer.
Water Safety Rule #4
Don’t panic. Try to look at it as your own tread-water tour of Kauai. You will eventually be rescued or get pushed ashore.
Check our Kauai Surf Report.
