The main thing is not to drown in the sea. How not to drown in the sea - three simple rules

The ocean, the sea - rest on them is the cherished dream of many people. It's no secret that a huge number of people dream of spending their holidays on the warm sea, or even better the ocean, 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 Induruwa.

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, but several currents.

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 a given place at the moment. 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 got caught reflux and takes it 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!

Like drowning in the ocean

Trying to resist - nothing comes out. A couple of moments - and the panic begins. The heart beats at a speed of 180-200 beats per minute. Say goodbye to life in all seriousness.

Like drowning in the ocean

Trying to resist - nothing comes out. A couple of moments - and the panic begins. The heart beats at a speed of 180-200 beats per minute. Say goodbye to life in all seriousness.

However, there is still a pattern. It is known to every traffic policeman and coast guard. But not for the tourists themselves. I'm actually shocked at how little we know about the dangers of our lives. So banal and obvious that you don't even think about them.

For example, in less than 49 years of my life I have not found out why people drown on the ocean (and serious seas)? How can you drown when you can swim?! Especially when you don’t know how, and therefore you don’t go deeper than waist-deep. However, sad reports from Egypt, then from Thailand, then from India make one wonder: a young guy, almost a professional swimmer ... drowned! Two girls... drowned! What a horror!

So: 95 percent of all drownings in serious seas-oceans happen because of ... rip currents, that is, oncoming currents! Have you ever heard of these? I have no doubt that the color of our society - the technotronic goblinarius - has heard and even read about it, for example, on Wikipedia. And the rest? I almost grew up by the sea. He swam in all oceans: in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, in all seas (with the exception of the cold ones of the Barents type), but he did not even guess about any oncoming currents. That's a gap in education, so a gap. It never occurred to anyone to enlighten me on the subject of "rips", and even more so for me to study it myself - and even more so. At best, I saw signs: "Swimming is prohibited!"

Meanwhile, "rips" are found on all oceanic beaches in the world without exception. It's good when rescuers walk around, constantly rearranging red flags from place to place. Until recently, I did not understand why they do this, by what principle they determine places that are dangerous for swimming. It seems around the stones, but sometimes 100-150 meters from them ...

Water lifeguards appeared in Goa only this year (maybe they have been in other places before, but I have never seen them in our favorite lands). Result: in only one place on the beach in Ashvem, exactly opposite the bungalow village of Victor, five people drowned last season! In front of everyone! This year there were rescuers and - thank God! - everything went well: not a single victim.

You can read about the physics of the occurrence of "rips" on your own in your favorite Wikipedia. Technically, it is enough for incompetent comrades to know that corridors with a reverse (towards the sea) flow constantly appear in one place or another right next to the shore. There are "rips" that are stable, and they are not so dangerous, because, as a rule, all the locals know about them and suggest where you do not need to go swimming. But there are so-called flash rip currents that come and go; they are the ones that pose a mortal danger.

In most cases, the "rip" corridor is narrow, 2-3 meters, and it is easy to jump out of it to the right or left. Also, in most cases, the speed of the current in the "rip" is 4-5 km / h, which is also not dangerous.

However, several times a day on the same beach, "rips" up to 50 meters wide and up to 200-400 meters long can occur! If a speed of 15 km / h is added to it, then, having got into such a "rip", if you do not know how to deal with it, you can read a prayer.

What happens when a person gets into a "rip"? He is about to be dragged into the open ocean. If the "rip" is wide and the speed is even minimal (5 km / h), it is useless to resist, that is, to swim against the current - it will still drag you to the depth. It is sad just the fact that people who do not know about the "rips" begin to desperately resist and frantically swim exactly towards the coast, that is, against the current of the "rip". They, of course, fail, and after 20-30 seconds a MONSTER PANIC sets in!

This happened to me twice: three years ago and this year at the very beginning of the season. I swam and swam - and suddenly I was dragged at such a speed (it feels like about 10 km / h) into the open ocean that for a moment I experienced all the horror experienced by Mironov's character while fishing in " diamond arm". Believe me, when you are dragged by" rip "- it's a NIGHTMARE!

The scariest thing is if you swam to a place where you no longer touch the bottom. Then he picks up and carries hell knows where. What to do is unclear. Thank God, I was warned from the first day that breaking away from the bottom is absolutely undesirable under any circumstances. I was dragged into the open ocean while I was up to my chest. You stand calmly, you rest, and suddenly it pulls you away. Trying to resist - nothing comes out. A couple of moments - and the panic begins. The heart beats at a speed of 180-200 beats per minute. Say goodbye to life in all seriousness. Dragged this time at an angle not to the open sea, but to the stones - also one of the, as I later learned, common options for "rip".

Can you imagine if a person cannot swim?! Here he stands, say, waist-deep in water and thinks: "Kaif! I won't go deeper, it's safe here!" What is there! It will fall into the "rip", the ocean will drag it away and will not ask for the last name, especially if it is a weak woman or old man. It will drag you to where there will be no bottom... But you don't know how to swim... It's better not to think.

How to be? How to deal with "rips"? If you can’t swim at all, there is only one recommendation: do not go into the water alone! Never! Only with someone experienced. Of course, you need to swim where there are lifeguards and red flags.

Those who know how to swim should remember that the depth to the chest is already sufficient for a serious "rip" (10 km / h or more), which can drag into the open ocean.

What to do if you are still blown away? First and foremost, DON'T PANIC! In no case, because, knowing about the rules of behavior in the "rip" and not panicking, you will get out in 1000 cases out of 1000.

The second main thing is not to resist the reverse current and in no case swim to the shore! It sounds, of course, intimidating, but this is the only correct logic: by resisting, you will not achieve anything, you will still continue to drag, but in a minute or two you will be exhausted, exhausted, tired and guaranteed to lose your composure. Hundreds and hundreds of excellent swimmers, athletes, athletes, weightlifters and bodybuilders unknowingly drowned in "rips". In this scenario, the case will not be for you.

So, don't panic and don't swim to shore! What are you doing? First: try to get out of the "rip" to the side. That is, you are not swimming towards the shore, but parallel to it. Right or left, it doesn't matter. If the "rip" is narrow, 2-4 meters, then you will quickly get out of it. If it is wide - up to 50 meters, then, of course, it will not work. As soon as you realize that you can’t get out, immediately stop trying and ... relax! Lie on your back, but don't panic. Why? Because in a minute or two the oncoming current will end and leave you alone. After that, you will turn around and swim ... but not immediately to the shore, but first 50-100 meters to the side to bypass the "rip", otherwise you will stick back into it. Oh, and while you're relaxing downstream, don't forget to raise your hand high, then at least a lifeguard will help you on your way back.

Another important detail to remember: "rip" will never drag you to the bottom! It's not a whirlpool or a funnel. All the "rips" in the world are dragged from the shore along the surface, but not to the depth. On the surface, you can swim in the warm ocean for three days for sure ☺

Finally, the last thing: all "rips" have clear identification marks (signs). If there are no lifeguards with red flags on the beach, you can independently determine the place of the oncoming current by one of the following signs (in any combination).

Visible channel of seething water, perpendicular to the shore.

A coastal zone with a changed color of the water (say, everything around is blue or green, and some area is white).

A section of foam, some kind of marine vegetation, bubbles, which is steadily moving from the coast to the open sea.

A gap in the general structure of tidal waves (a continuous band of waves, and in the middle there is a 5-10-meter gap).

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. Until they are pulled into one of these invisible "rips".

It also happens like this: you swim, you swim in a calm and safe place, and then - again, something changed in the geometry of the sandy bottom, the direction of the wind, the height and speed of the waves, and - bam! - there is an unexpected "rip"! And you are already in it. It doesn't matter: now we know how to behave, what to do and what not to do.

The great thing is theory. That's just in reality anyway ... terribly scary! Kamaradas, be vigilant: in life and without "rips" there are many reasons to "play the box" ahead of the measured time (although, perhaps, that's how much you were measured).

Every year, thousands of tourists drown all over the world. And drowning is not somewhere far away 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 your energy!

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:

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.

When, in the middle of a working day, we suddenly plunge headlong into vacation dreams, our imagination draws a beautiful sandy shore and transparent waves. So you slowly enter the warm water and, of course, immediately think: “Well, well, what color is the flag? Where are the lifeguards? Is the tide at all now? This is ideal. But in fact, such questions are the last thing that comes to mind for wild tourists without sun and sea. And in vain.

Red where it's dangerous

High waves, strong currents, marine life - if you are not a fan of such phenomena, pay attention to the flags. The world's only beach safety notification system works almost like a traffic light: a red flag is a severe warning of danger, yellow is not very severe, and a green flag means you can swim safely. A checkered black and white flag is placed on a beach with waves suitable only for surfing.

Under the US-Australian system, two yellow and red flags flanking the grounds are permission to swim while being looked after by lifeguards. From stinging jellyfish sea urchins, "Portuguese boats", stingrays and other unfriendly "seafood" warns purple (or blue) flag. blue flag the most clean beaches planets. Brown color means pollution of the reservoir.

When the sea is knee deep

Clear water, seemingly even bottom, shallow depth, romantic night and an irresistible desire to swim - this is familiar to many. Especially for those who abuse alcohol. Self-control, as well as sensitivity, decreases. In addition, at night, you are less likely to be noticed and rescued, but more likely to stumble upon a dangerous object in the water or step on a jellyfish. At night, the air and water temperature drops, bathing can lead to cramps - a sharp and rather painful muscle contraction.

Breaker or killer

According to statistics, most drowning people, among whom even professional swimmers can come across, die from rip currents. Foreigners call them "rip current", and we - "rips". These are corridors with a current directed towards the ocean, constantly appearing in one place or another almost near the coast. A person who is only knee-deep in water can be knocked down by this stream and, at a speed of 2-3 meters per second, very quickly carry away from the coast at a distance of up to 400 meters.

"Rips" occur during high tides, when masses of water are looking for ways to move back into the ocean and choose places of least resistance. Fender currents are especially dangerous in shallow seas with a flat bottom, framed by spits, shallows - in the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. Fact: 80% of rips are invisible. However, it is still best to stay away from the channels of seething water, areas with a changed color, heaps of vegetation moving into the open sea, etc.

You carry me river

The rip current is a real river right in the ocean. If you can't swim, don't go into the water alone. In cases where you were lucky enough to be picked up by an insidious stream, you need to stop the growing panic and swim parallel to the shore, and not against the current. Most often, the “ripa” corridor is narrow - only 2-3 meters - and it will be possible to get out of it quickly. Although, there are also wide, 50-meter ones - these are worth succumbing to. After all, it is only a current, not a whirlpool. Economy of forces - above all. After a couple of minutes, the breaking wave will weaken, and you can, having sailed a little to the side for fidelity, get to the shore without incident.

Goodbye mattresses

Probably, the ideal drowned man is a drunken tourist who fell asleep on an air mattress and got, for example, into a rip current. Perhaps mattresses, circles, tires, etc. - a solution for non-swimmers, but far from the best in the sea. It is better to take these unreliable devices with you to the pool, although even there you can doze off and get sunstroke between 12 and 16 hours. If you still decide to take a risk, do it in the company of someone and control your well-being under the sun. At the first sign of heat stroke - headache, weakness, stuffiness, nausea, redness of the face - return to the shore.

Calm, only calm

In fact, panic is to blame. Most of the accidents could have been prevented if people had not been seized by a strong fear of death. Practitioners of meditation know how to control themselves in such situations and may even not lose heart for a long time, waiting for help or enduring severe pain. Fear can also cause convulsions, a numbness that makes it difficult to swim to shore. A simple solution is to pinch or prick yourself in the place where the muscles are cramping. In rare cases of hitting the water, a sharp immersion in cold, severe panic, “dry” drownings occur - syncope, when the heart stops due to vasospasm.

Dive right

We all think we can dive. Although, even divers and strong swimmers may encounter such terrible phenomena such as loss of consciousness at shallow depths. So here are a couple of simple rules. Before jumping or diving, take a few deep breaths to oxygenate your blood. If you haven't dived deep before, start with ten seconds underwater. Move smoothly, without sudden jumps. The less movement underwater, the easier it is to increase the time spent there. You also need to float smoothly, otherwise the difference in pressure will play a trick on the lungs. Snorkeling enthusiasts should get glasses that are not too squeezing the bridge of the nose and face.

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com, flickr.com