Reverse flow in the sea - what to do and what not to do so as not to drown. What is a rip current, or how not to drown in the water of the Mediterranean Sea

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Many people who are good swimmers or float well do not understand how one can drown near the shore. When they hear news reports during the holiday season about tourists "who died near the shore", they think that the victims either did not know how to swim or were intoxicated. But they are wrong. What then is the reason?

We are talking about a very dangerous, but little-known phenomenon - rip currents, which are often also called "pulls" and "rips" (English - rip current). There are rip currents in all corners of the planet, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Black Sea, and the island of Bali. With these insidious rips can not cope not only ordinary people, but also first-class swimmers who do not know how to behave in this situation.

Everything happens unexpectedly: you sailed away from the shore, and then turned back, but nothing happens ... You swim with all your might, but remain in one place or even move further away. All attempts are unsuccessful, your strength is running out and you are close to panic...

To begin with, it is important to understand the principle of operation of the rip. This is a type of sea and ocean currents directed at right angles to the shore and formed in the process of discharge of the flow of surging water towards the sea.

The most dangerous are rip currents in shallow seas with a gently sloping coast, which is framed by sandbars, spits and islands (the Sea of Azov, etc.). In these places, at low tide, sand bars prevent the return of a mass of water into the sea. The water pressure on the narrow strait connecting the sea with the estuary increases many times over. As a result, a fast stream is formed, along which water moves at a speed of 2.5-3.0 m / s.

These "corridors" appear in different places close to the shore at high tide. Waves roll and bring water mass, and then at different speeds go into the sea or ocean, forming reflux. This is observed in areas where high and low tides often occur.

In the attached picture with a red arrow, the streams of seething water are not so noticeable, but the current itself and the people who have fallen into it are clearly visible.

Most often, the width of the rip is 2-3 m, and the speed of the current is 4-5 km / h, which is not dangerous.
But from time to time there are "draughts" up to 50 m wide, up to 200-400 m long and up to 15 km/h! This happens much less frequently. But it happens!
How to learn to distinguish places where there are rips, so as not to get into them? Primarily pay attention to the following characteristic signs:

The visible channel of seething water is perpendicular to the shore;

In the coastal zone, there are areas with a different shade of water: for example, everything around is light blue or greenish, and some area is white. Areas with foam, moving algae and bubbles that move from the shore to the open sea;
In a continuous strip of tidal waves there is a 5-10-meter gap;

If you notice any of the above, never swim in this place. But the danger is that 80% of sudden rips do not manifest themselves outwardly. It is in their "tenacious paws" that most tourists fall. Only professional rescuers can identify such zones.

It is important to remember that rip currents often occur near the shore, so they are able to drag even people standing in the water up to their waist or chest. And if swimmers have great chances to escape, then people who cannot swim have critically few of them. Therefore, do not swim alone and do not enter places that seem suspicious to you.

Give preference to busy beaches where lifeguards are on duty.

And always pay attention to the red flags and signs on the beach in places where it is strictly forbidden to swim. This is not a joke!

And the most important moment! How to behave for those who fell into such a current?

Rules of conduct in the rip current

1. Get over the panic! Pull yourself together, because people knowing the rules behavior in rip are saved in 99% of cases.

2. Save your strength! No need to row with all your might against the current, losing energy reserves. You need to swim not to the shore, but to the side, parallel to the beach. If the rip is narrow (up to 5 m), you will get out of it very quickly.

3. Analyze! If you row according to the rules - to the side, but you can’t get out, then the rip is wide (from 20 m and more). Then immediately stop wasting energy and panicking! The reverse flow is usually short-lived and after 3-4 minutes it will stop. After that, sail 50-100 m to the side, and only then return to the shore with respite.

The following facts will help you avoid panic:

Rip won't drag you down. Most often, the rip currents are short and the upper layer of water moves at high speed, which supports floating objects.

The rip is not very wide. Its width does not exceed 50 m. And in most cases it is only 10-20 m. As a result, having swum along the coast for literally 20-30 m, you will notice that you have come out of the rip.

The length of the rip is limited. The current weakens rather quickly, the "pull" loses its strength where the waves reach a peak and begin to break. In surfer slang, this place is called "line up" (line up). Just in it all the surfers gather, preparing to conquer the incoming waves. Usually the "line up" is located no further than 100 m from the coast.

The ocean, the sea - rest on them is the cherished dream of many people. It is no secret that a huge number of people dream of spending their holidays on the warm sea, and also better than the ocean while enjoying their beaches and beauties. Also, it is no secret that the vast majority of these "dreamers" are very poorly acquainted with the water element, mostly by hearsay, at the level of rumors and myths.

One of these myths is the reverse sea current (Rip Currents). What do we know about him? And we know the following from rumors - this is the most dangerous, insidious phenomenon of nature, if you manage to get into it, then you can easily drown, because. rip current can be very strong, it is incredibly difficult to row against him. It instantly takes you to the open sea, where you will surely drown or be eaten by bloodthirsty and ubiquitous sharks.

Have you paid attention to how often you can meet in questions about a particular beach the question - “how are things going with the sea current there? Not dangerous? Doesn't it take you to the sea?" And the answers with the phrases - “the sea drags in”, “the sea does not pull in”, “you don’t want to go far - a terrible current ... will carry you into the sea ...”. Moreover, completely different things can be said about the same beach.

What do you still need to know so that a heavenly place on the seashore does not turn into a death trap?

True and false about reverse sea currents

True - reverse sea currents are a very real and common thing, especially on beaches located on ocean coasts, where strong waves are constantly present. These currents are quite powerful and fast, capable of dragging even very strong swimmers. It is almost impossible to row against its jet. It is dangerous!

It is not true - it takes you to the "open sea", it is impossible to fight it, if it caught you, then only rescuers or a miracle can save you. It forms funnels and pulls to the bottom. He is not visible.

What causes rip currents

They are formed due to the tides of water masses towards the shore. Storm, tidal, and ebb waves over and over again roll tons of water ashore, which, according to inexorable physical laws, tends back to the sea. Under certain circumstances, areas appear with less weak resistance to its reverse outflow and water rushes towards them - “rivers” are formed with a strong current directed from the coast.

How to notice such a flow

It is really not easy to notice it, and most likely, for people who are unfamiliar with the sea like us, it is unlikely to succeed, but you can try. Signs of a reverse flow:

Muddy water - the impression that a muddy stream flows in a clear sea
Anomalous ripples - an area with incomprehensible ripples on the water is distinguished from the rest of the water surface.

For example, here is a photo of reverse currents taken in Sri Lanka, on one of the beaches of Induruva.

By the way, they are visible only from a height. From the shore, you can only notice that the water is muddy, but it seems that this is just ordinary turbidity due to the waves. I even wanted to swim there first, but, fortunately, Svetlana dissuaded me, the wave was too powerful. Then, when they climbed the rocks and looked from above ... If I climbed into the water, then who knows what could have ended, as you can see, there is not one current, but several.

But usually, reverse currents are not visible. But, even worse, they are not permanent and are not always present in one place or another, but can suddenly appear and disappear from time to time. It depends on many factors. And if you saw a similar poster on the beach, you should take the information into account.

But you don’t need to be afraid and sit on the shore, the presence of a poster does not at all guarantee the presence of a rip current in this place at present. It is rather a reminder of what you need to know when relaxing on the seashore.

What to do and how not to drown, hitting the reverse current

So, first of all, understand the following - the current is strong, but you can fight it, and for this you don’t have to be a super swimmer, almost anyone can win and survive. even without outside help. The main thing you need to know is the following:

the jet is relatively narrow, usually no wider than 30-40 meters;
the current is rather short, as a rule, no more than 100 meters;
it will never drag you to the bottom, it is strictly superficial!
Based on these three points, your actions should be as follows:
Most importantly, don't panic!
if you are picked up by a reverse current and carried away to the sea - in no case, do not row against it! Swim out perpendicular to it (i.e. swim along the shore), slightly dodging in the direction where you are being carried. We got out of the jet - swim to the shore.

Now a little more - panic is your main enemy. If you do not succumb to it, then you can easily determine where you need to swim out and remember what you need to do. The width of the reverse current channels, even at a distance from the coast, is not too large. The farther out to sea, the weaker the current. Thus, moving perpendicular to it, you will very soon get out of it into calm water.

Having decided and sailing in the right direction, try to move a little diagonally, you can even a little away from the coast, so you save energy. We remind you once again - the rip current will never drag you to the bottom and carry you into the open!

We left the jet - swim to the shore, but slightly deviating from the course of the current, so that, God forbid, do not fall into it again! If you are a good swimmer and have enough strength, you can easily get to the shore.

If you are not very or very tired swimming, try to make the most of the energy of the water. As a rule, she nails everything to the shore, acting in a certain rhythm. Try to understand it - at the moment when the wave "picks up" and carries you towards the shore, row hard, at the moment when it "pulls" you - just try to stay in place, applying a minimum of strength. Swim on your back - it's easier, especially in salty sea water.

Direction Rip currents

By the way, it cannot always be directed strictly perpendicular from the shore. Sometimes such "rivers" have very intricate "beds". This is probably due to the configuration of the shore and bottom.

For example, on the wonderful beach of Bentota (Sri Lanka), I took advantage of the presence of such a current and rode it wonderfully. Not that I advise you to do the same or boast, I just want to warn you about the presence of a similar phenomenon on this beach.

This place is located in a coastal bend, approximately opposite the railway station and the Bentota Beach by Cinnamon hotel. There is always a post of rescuers who may even require you to get out of the water. At first I did not understand why they forbade me to swim in the place where the depth is maximum up to the neck and luxurious waves in which you can frolic from the heart. But he quickly realized.

In Bentota, there is a rather tangible current along the coast, but in this place it suddenly almost knocked you down and carried you. The first time I got into this stream, I was scared. Then, after observing the movement of the abandoned branches, he quickly determined that a large section of this “river” flows strictly along the coast and only then smoothly turns and goes into the sea.

It was in this coastal stream that I rode, since it’s not deep there, but in the place where it begins to leave the coast, an underwater spit (a meter and a half deep) has been reclaimed, along which you can go to a calm area. The current is really very strong, I recommend to be careful and not leave children unattended. Rescuers said that it is present here almost constantly.

In general, be careful and attentive - the sea, and even more so the ocean, is a serious matter, and their coastal rip currents are potentially dangerous. But you should not be afraid of them, and if you have already managed to get stuck, the main thing is to know what to do and not panic.

Have a nice and safe holiday!

Every year, thousands of tourists drown all over the world. Moreover, they drown not somewhere far away on deserted beaches, but in the most crowded and popular places. Literally 50 meters from the shore.

Why is this happening? Why do people who can swim drown near the shore? And after all, they drown regardless of age, gender and physical condition - even good athletes sometimes cannot swim out. Because they misbehave in the ocean, do not know the basics of safety and panic at a critical moment.

In this note, I will tell you about the most common accidents in the ocean. About reverse currents, about the so-called channels, once in which, a person is instantly carried away into the open ocean. In English, this phenomenon is called - rip current.

Let's start with theory.

The ocean is not a sea or a river, much less a lake with calm water. The ocean is a much more complex and dangerous thing. The tides are created by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on the Earth and its oceans, having a direct effect on the nature of the waves.

At low tide, you may encounter exposed rocks or reefs that were not there six hours ago. As a rule, in this case, the waves become steeper and break further from the coast.

Tides usually create softer, slower breaking waves. Tides can also cause water backflows, which are formed when waves hit rocks or sandbanks on the coast and ricochet back out to sea.

Imagine ocean waves crashing over and over again bringing more and more water. But this water mass does not remain on the shore, but returns to the ocean. How? Through the channels that are formed as a result of waves breaking on the shore. Here's what it looks like schematically:

That is, the wave breaks on the coastal shallows, and then, accumulating in a certain place, goes back into the ocean, forming a reverse current. It looks like a river in the ocean. And this is the most dangerous place all over the beach! The speed of the current in the channel reaches 2-3 meters per second and once you get into it, you will instantly be carried away from the shore. At this moment, most people panic, they begin to convulsively fight the current and that there is strength to row towards the shore. And the waves cover and cover everything, and having lost all strength, a person drowns.

THIS IS THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN HALF OF ALL DEATHS IN THE OCEAN!

The most dangerous thing is that you can find yourself in such a channel, even standing waist-deep or chest-deep in water. That is, feeling the bottom confidently under you, and suddenly, once again, you suddenly begin to be sucked into the ocean! So what to do if you still got into the reverse current and, despite all your efforts, you are carried into the ocean?

There are a few basic rules to remember and always keep in mind:

1. DON'T PANIC!

Panic is the enemy in any extreme situation. When a person panics, instead of a sober assessment of the situation and making the right decisions, he is guided by his instincts and most often does not at all what is necessary.

2. SAVE POWER!

No need to fight the current and row back to shore with all your might. It's useless. It is unlikely that you will have enough strength to overcome the force of the current in the channel. You need to row not to the shore, but sideways, that is, parallel to the shore!

3. DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN ALONE!

The golden rule says - if you're not sure, don't bother! Try to swim on busy beaches, where there are other people besides you and preferably lifeguards.

Here is how the correct actions look like in the event of a reverse flow:

There are a number of important points that you need to know and it is important to remember:

The channel will never drag you to the bottom! The reverse flow occurs on the surface, does not form funnels or whirlpools. The channel will drag you along the surface from the shore, but not into the depths.

The channel is not wide! Usually the width of the channel does not exceed 50 meters. And most often limited to 10-20 meters in total. That is, having sailed along the coast literally 20-30 meters, you will feel that you have swum out of the canal.

Channel length is limited! The current will weaken rather quickly, the channel ends its "work" where the waves reach their peak and begin to break. In surfer language, this place is called “line up” (line up). In this place, all surfers usually hang out and try to ride the incoming waves. Usually it is no further than 100 meters from the shore.

Here's what the channel looks like in real life:

That is, you see that the channel, even in the color of the water, differs from the rest of the water mass. In this case, it is sand raised by waves from the coastal shallows, which the channel carried into the ocean. The fact that sand is on the surface of the water just shows that the reverse flow is superficial and is formed only on the surface.

How to "see" the channel?

All channels have their own distinct features:

If you see any of the above, consider yourself lucky and just don't go swimming in this place. But what if you do not see any of the four signs? So you're out of luck, because 80 percent of dangerous flash rips don't show up visually. That is, professional rescuers will still be able to determine these places, but ordinary tourists are unlikely.

In most cases, there are flags on the beaches that can change their location during the day. The color of the flags is the same all over the world and is very easy to remember:

The red-yellow flag indicates that there are lifeguards on the beach and that it is safe to swim between these flags.

Red flag - swimming in this place (between the red flags) is strictly prohibited!

Sometimes you look at the ocean - the waves seem to be small, and there is a red flag on the beach. And when at this moment you still want to get into the ocean to swim - remember about the currents and what is written here.

Theory is a great power - sometimes elementary knowledge of some basics can save your life.

Therefore, if you fly to rest on the ocean (not necessarily in Bali), always remember the basic safety precautions. Tell your friends and family about this. This information is clearly not superfluous in the baggage of your knowledge.

Let's start with theory.

At low tide, you may encounter exposed rocks or reefs that were not there six hours ago. As a rule, in this case, the waves become steeper and break further from the coast.

Tides usually create softer, slower breaking waves. Tides can also cause water backflows, which are formed when waves hit rocks or sandbanks on the coast and ricochet back out to sea.

That is, the wave breaks on the coastal shallows, and then, accumulating in a certain place, goes back into the ocean, forming a reverse current. It looks like a river in the ocean. And this is the most dangerous place on the whole beach! The speed of the current in the channel reaches 2-3 meters per second and once you get into it, you will instantly be carried away from the shore. At this moment, most people panic, they begin to convulsively fight the current and that there is strength to row towards the shore. And the waves cover and cover everything, and having lost all strength, a person drowns.

THIS IS THE CAUSE OF MORE THAN HALF OF ALL DEATHS IN THE OCEAN!

There are a few basic rules to remember and always keep in mind:

1. Don't panic!

2. Save your energy!

3. Do not swim in the ocean alone!

The golden rule says - if you're not sure, don't bother! Try to swim on busy beaches, where there are other people besides you and preferably lifeguards.

Here is how the correct actions look like in the event of a reverse flow:

There are a number of important points that you need to know and it is important to remember:

Here's what the channel looks like in real life:

How to "see" the channel?

All channels have their own distinct features:

In most cases, there are flags on the beaches that can change their location during the day. The color of the flags is the same all over the world and is very easy to remember:

The red-yellow flag indicates that there are lifeguards on the beach and that it is safe to swim between these flags.

Red flag - swimming in this place (between the red flags) is strictly prohibited!

Theory is a great power - sometimes elementary knowledge of some basics can save your life. Therefore, if you fly to rest on the ocean (not necessarily in Bali), always remember the basic safety precautions. Tell your friends and family about this. This information is clearly not superfluous in the baggage of your knowledge.

. . March 20, 2015 Warm and gentle sea - this phrase can already be considered well-established ...

However, “warm” is how lucky, but “gentle” - such an impression is often deceptive.

The sea must be taken seriously, and swimming well is not enough for this. In order not to become a victim of the “gentle sea” and not to drown in it, you need to know and follow the basic safety rules.

In the global community there is a system for alerting the safety of the beaches with the help of flags. Their colors correspond to the colors of the traffic lights - green, yellow, red.

Green indicates that the sea is in this moment calm, there is no threat to swimmers. The yellow flag calls for caution: you should not swim far and swim alone. Red is a complete ban on swimming, since it is in this place and in given time dangerously. Sometimes two red flags are hung out - increased danger, it is forbidden not only to swim, but also to approach the sea.

The red flag warns of various dangers, not only from high wave, as is sometimes thought, but also from marine life, for example, sharks, or about undercurrents. Therefore, trust professional lifeguards and do not assess the state of the sea yourself.

Rule two, well-known

Everyone knows that you can’t swim while intoxicated. However, the statistics inexorably proves that the majority of accidents on the beaches occur with drunken swimmers. A drunk person is not able to objectively assess the situation, calculate his strength, which leads to disastrous consequences. This rule, we believe, does not need additional comments.

Rule three: don't take risks and don't panic!

During high tide and waves, one should not swim far into the sea. At this time, a very dangerous reverse flow is formed in the water. Because of it, swimmers often drown. Water can take a person with great force and begin to carry him to the open sea. At the same time, a person often begins to desperately row to the shore and is exhausted. In such cases, you should not panic, but try to swim parallel to the shore in order to swim out of the reverse flow. Its width usually does not exceed 2-5 meters. If you are caught in a whirlpool, the best remedy is to take in as much air as possible, dive in and try to swerve to the side.

Very often, those who swim behind the buoys or swim outside the specially designated swimming area get into such dangerous situations. The danger increases when a person does not know how to swim well, but at the same time swims far, relying too much on air mattresses or circles. They can be blown away, and far from the coast it is very dangerous.

Without panicking in a difficult situation, knowing and following these simple rules, you can avoid troubles and accidents at sea or the ocean, and return home rested, tanned and happy.