CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 SCOTT SPECHT
B Company, 3rd Battalion,
142nd Aviation Regiment (Air Assault)
New York Army National Guard
Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
Taking an early morning swim in the ocean is a great way to start your day. If you’re not careful, however, that great start could come to an abrupt and tragic end. It almost happened to me.
One morning several years ago, some of my flight school buddies and I decided to leave Fort Rucker, Ala., and spend the weekend at a friend’s house in Destin, Fla. As was common for us on Saturday nights in the Florida Panhandle, we contributed pretty heavily to the local economy, spending our hard-earned W-1 pay at the local clubs and taverns. After a long night out, Sunday morning came early, and the bright Florida sun shined on my face through the living room blinds. The couch I’d crashed on suddenly didn’t seem as comfortable as the night before, and more sleep was likely out of the question. What I needed now was a quick cure for my dry mouth and pounding headache.
I didn’t want to disturb anyone, so I slipped out of the house unnoticed and walked down to the beach. There weren’t too many people out, and I remember seeing a high-flying yellow flag with a sign next to it that stated there was no lifeguard on duty. I’ve always been a strong swimmer, so I thought nothing about the flag and sign.
I figured the cool water would be a quick and invigorating cure to my ailments. Without thought, I slipped off my sandals and T-shirt, leaving them in a pile on the sugar-white sand. I stepped into the pristine emerald water and dove into the first decent-sized wave that came my way. The winds were calm, the water was beautiful and I instantly felt better.
The water was shallow, and since I stand more than 6 feet tall, I could easily venture out a good distance before the bottom was out of reach. The high salt concentration in the Gulf of Mexico made swimming feel nearly effortless, and each wave of cool ocean water that broke over my face brought a little more relief to my ailment. Before long, the calming effect of the waves put me into a trance-like state. When I finally opened my eyes again, I was shocked back to reality. The beach was now several hundred feet away!
I immediately realized I was in a dangerous situation. I was alone in the water, caught in a rip current and nobody even knew I had left the house. With my heart rate and anxiety level rising, I did exactly what you’re not supposed to do when in a rip current — I frantically made a beeline for the shore. I quickly realized that fighting the rip current was not going to work. It seemed like the harder I swam, the farther out I was pulled. I put down my foot in hopes of finding the bottom, but there was nothing there.
Panic was starting to set in, and I knew I needed to think quickly if I wanted to survive. I’d have to rely on my instincts, experiences as a scuba diver and the little knowledge I had about rip currents to get myself back to shore safely. I forced myself to relax and used the advantage of the salty water to gain buoyancy. I then rolled onto my back and alternated between floating (to conserve energy) and backstroking parallel with the shore. Eventually, I escaped the grasp of the current and found myself in water shallow enough that I could finally touch the bottom.
Once I was back on shore, I headed to the spot where I entered the water. I had no idea how far the rip current had pulled me until it took nearly 15 minutes of walking to get back to my shirt and sandals I’d left in the sand. As I walked back toward my friend’s house, I passed the same flagpole that had been flying the yellow warning flag. The flag had since been changed to red, indicating high surf and/or strong currents. Had that flag been flying earlier, I doubt I would have risked going into the water.
I was extremely lucky that morning. I very easily could have drowned, and it may have taken a long time for anyone to realize I was missing. I learned some valuable lessons that I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to share with others:
• Never swim alone.
• Always tell someone where you are going — especially if entering any body of water.
• If you consumed alcohol, remember that a few hours of sleep will likely not be enough time for the effects to wear off. Just because the sun is up doesn’t mean you’re sober.
• If you get caught in a rip current, never fight it. Remain calm and swim parallel with the shore until you are out of the current.
Rip currents are a threat to everyone who enters the ocean, especially weak or non-swimmers. According to the National Weather Service, rip currents are responsible for more than 100 drownings every year in the United States and account for over 80 percent of water rescues on surf beaches. Before swimming in the ocean, make sure you know what to do if caught in the grip of a rip current. Failure to properly prepare could leave you sleeping with the fishes!
FYI
For more information on how to protect yourself from rip currents, visit the National Weather Service’s website at http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/yos/resource/JetStream/ocean/rip_safety.htm.
Did You Know?
Florida has a statewide warning flag system to alert beachgoers of the water conditions. Here’s an explanation to what each flag means:
Double Red – Water closed to the public
Red – High hazard (high surf and/or strong currents)
Yellow – Medium hazard (moderate surf and/or currents)
Green – Low hazard (calm conditions, exercise caution)
Purple – Dangerous marine life present