]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2012 04:32PM by Alias.

Alias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm in Cape May, NJ.
>
> Today, ALL DAY LONG, the lifeguards have been
> jumping in to rescue people.
>
> A 19 year old boy drowned.
>
> The noise ordinance here is strictly enforced, so,
> be quiet.


gay

Nice to see that Cape May has joined the ranks of Rehobeth, Key West and P-Town as a gay beach.

Way to put in on the map, Alias.

Cape May? Are you there with your Grandmother?

Alias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm in Cape May, NJ.
>
> Today, ALL DAY LONG, the lifeguards have been
> jumping in to rescue people.
>
> A 19 year old boy drowned.
>
> The noise ordinance here is strictly enforced, so,
> be quiet.


Public service announcement for stupid people:

If you feel yourself being pulled away from shore by a rip tide or undertow, DO NOT try to swim directly towards the shore!! SWIM TO YOUR LEFT OR RIGHT, parallel to the shore. In a few feet, you will no longer be pulled away from shore. Rip tides are only a few feet wide.

I don't know why more people don't understand this. But I guess it's just another proof that Darwin was right.

Thurston Moore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Public service announcement for stupid people:
>
> If you feel yourself being pulled away from shore
> by a rip tide or undertow,

If you are female, good looking (not just in your own mind), and stacked... Just leave you bikini top in the wake, and wave... The life guards will be to your rescue in just moments, and if they miss you, I'm sure that some innocent bystander will assist on any medical need you may have. (Take pictures!)

'[



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2012 04:29PM by Alias.

I've been swimming in some serious Rips in South Florida before, with Swells cresting at roughly 3 to 5 Feet. The most difficult part of the entire thing was the Wave frequency though. Typically you have a lapse of a few seconds between waves, and an area of relative calm is just past the break. However, in my case the waves were breaking one right behind the other, with maybe only a second or two delay at most. The breaking action extended a good 15-20 yards out as well, so as far as you could safely go, you were being tossed about. You could walk out to where the water was up to your waist one second, and as soon as another swell came in you were just about over your head (Nearly 6 Feet). I even managed to get hit by a coconut in the leg, flipped upside down by two diagonal-colliding waves, knocked into the shell covered shore a few times, and wrapped in sea weed lol.

I only went out with a Boogey Board and some Swim fins, because it's the only way you could get anywhere and do anything. I actually had to tuck the board and use my hands to swim as well, it was that bad. I caught some good waves though, and at the end of the day, when I was the only one there, I caught a sweet ride all the way in straight down the face of a forming crest.

I've been swimming in the Ocean for years, and I'm fairly strong, but even considering that, I caught myself being extremely wary whenever the out-tow would pull back, it was that strong. The Rip Tide was vicious though, and even the Surfers weren't going anywhere but right in front of the Lifeguard stand. The LG pointed out the Rips to me before I even went in, and as a result of such I knew what to look for, and where to stay. I did see a girl walking RIGHT into the thing with her entire family, but fortunately they never managed to walk deep enough to be sucked out.

The Bottom line however, is that you need to flow with the Rip if you become caught in it. Obviously, you're best to study the water, ask a Lifeguard about daily conditions, and subsequently avoid such scenarios. If you become caught though, just flow with it, and swim at a 90 Degree Angle to the Pull (Parallel to the Shore). Sometimes, on rare occasions, Rips have pulled people Hundreds of Yards Out, even up to a Mile or so. Whatever you do though, don't panic, assume your most comfortable swimming stroke, and make your way out of the current, and then back in to shore.

BTW, I would be more concerned with being pulled out into Shark Territory, than I would be about the Water itself.



It was rougher than that^






Closer to that^

^Don't know if it's a joke or what, but it's a perfectly clear example of a Rip.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2009 12:56AM by ThePackLeader.

ThePackLeader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been swimming in some serious Rips in South
> Florida before, with Swells cresting at roughly 3
> to 5 Feet. The most difficult part of the entire
> thing was the Wave frequency though. Typically you
> have a lapse of a few seconds between waves, and
> an area of relative calm is just past the break.
> However, in my case the waves were breaking one
> right behind the other, with maybe only a second
> or two delay at most. The breaking action extended
> a good 15-20 yards out as well, so as far as you
> could safely go, you were being tossed about. You
> could walk out to where the water was up to your
> waist one second, and as soon as another swell
> came in you were just about over your head (Nearly
> 6 Feet). I even managed to get hit by a coconut in
> the leg, flipped upside down by two
> diagonal-colliding waves, knocked into the shell
> covered shore a few times, and wrapped in sea weed
> lol.

I lived in Hawaii for many years as a kid. 3 to 5 foot swells were considered calm conditions. 8 to 10 foot waves were normal in the "winter" months (October to March). I remember 6 to 8 foot waves even on the south shore. But on the North Shore, like at Waimea Bay, where people used to dive off the cliff into 8 foot waves, it was unusual to see anything less than 8 or 10 foot waves. The beach was even unique because of the wave formations, you had to jump down a 3 or 4 foot embankment from the beach to the shoreline. The waves crashed into that little cove so violently that they were slowly eroding the shore, and created a "cliff" between the water line and the rest of the beach.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/waimea-bay-hawaii_4755/
OAHU NORTH SHORE'S REGIONAL OVERVIEW:
Flat as a lake out in the country today but looking like a great day for other activities such as fishing, paddling or diving. Most spots on the north shore are flat with only very select locations lucky to even have a tiny ankle high slapper. Buoy 1 is reading 4ft @ 7 seconds...so only minimal wind swell registering on the buoy. Tradewinds are expected to return in full force later today into tomorrow bringing back the typical side to offshore conditions for country shorelines. Any more out of season swells brewing? Check the extended forecast for the details.

>
> I only went out with a Boogey Board and some Swim
> fins, because it's the only way you could get
> anywhere and do anything. I actually had to tuck
> the board and use my hands to swim as well, it was
> that bad. I caught some good waves though, and at
> the end of the day, when I was the only one there,
> I caught a sweet ride all the way in straight down
> the face of a forming crest.
>

You really need to go to Hawaii. Boogey boarding there is actually thrilling. I've never caught a wave on the east coast that ever had the same thrill.


> The Bottom line however, is that you need to flow
> with the Rip if you become caught in it.
> Obviously, you're best to study the water, ask a
> Lifeguard about daily conditions, and subsequently
> avoid such scenarios. If you become caught though,
> just flow with it, and swim at a 90 Degree Angle
> to the Pull (Parallel to the Shore). Sometimes, on

Never go with the flow. Swim parallel to the shore. You will eventually get past the rip tide and can then swim to shore normally. If you go with the flow, you could be miles from shore by the time the current has stopped pulling you out.

Rip tides are only so wide. You can swim out of them very easily. You die when you try to swim to shore against the current, or ride the current out so far that you'll never be able to swim to shore.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2009 01:17AM by Thurston Moore.

l



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2012 07:54PM by Alias.

Yah, the waves have been pretty damned rough this week.