How to Spot and Avoid Rip Currents Staying Safe in the Surf
If you are planning a beach vacation, you must understand the hazards and how best to handle them. One of the potentially deadliest dangers near the shoreline is a rip current. If you get caught in one without knowing how to get out of it, you may find yourself in a world of trouble. In 2003, beachgoers in Central Florida ignored posted warning signs cautioning against swimming due to rip currents; as a result, eight people lost their lives. Here are some tips on how best to navigate dangerous rip currents. Recognizing a Rip Current Often created by shoreward winds and gradual ocean swells, rip currents along the ocean’s surface near the shore are strong channels of water that can move as rapidly as 8 feet per second. They are most common during low tide and can occur anywhere near breaking waves,
whether along the beach or far from shore. Asking your beach’s lifeguard whether there are any rip currents and checking beach conditions ahead of time are great ways to learn if any of those hazards are near where you’ll be. However, if you can’t find a lifeguard or want to see them for yourself, they are easiest to see from high ground. Rip currents appear as flat spots in the middle of breaking waves, sometimes accompanied by foam or flowing sediment. If warning signs at the beach alert you to rip currents, it’s best to stay out of the water — better safe than sorry. How to Escape Them If you find yourself in a rip current, it is important not to panic. Panicked swimmers often swim straight back to the beach, which is both tiring and a waste of time. Instead, you want to swim
parallel to shore until you are outside the rip current while not wasting your energy. Once you are out of the current’s grasp, you can safely swim back to shore at an angle. Now that you know how best to detect and handle rip currents, you can enjoy your beach day safely!
Take a Break
Delightful Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
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2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. 2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 4. Add eggs and mashed bananas and mix until blended. 5. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until blended. 6. Stir in walnuts. 7. Pour batter into prepared pan. 8. Bake for 65–70 minutes or until a
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1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar
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2 large eggs
ADVENTURE CAMPING
HIKING JUNETEENTH PARK PICNIC
PRIDE SANDALS SUNBURN SWIMMING
2 cups mashed ripe bananas 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
FATHER GEMINI
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toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool before serving.
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