Data: Rip currents kill many more men than women
Rip currents are a silent, deadly risk along the Carolina coast and anywhere there is a large body of water.
Data through June 2023 shows more than 450 rip current deaths between 2017 and 2023, the majority of them men.
Floridapanhandle.com studied rip current data from the National Weather Service and the NOAA Surf Zone Fatalitie Map and found that nearly 80% of all rip current fatalities are male and men are almost six times more likely to drown than females.
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that “men are more likely to participate in swimming and water sports under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In addition, they are more likely to forgo wearing a life jacket.”
North Carolina was second only to Florida in the number of rip current deaths. During the time studied, 42 people died.
On the Fourth of July weekend in 2023, the North Carolina coast averaged almost 100 people a day being rescued from rip currents.
The National Weather Service reported 372 rip current rescues in North Carolina from July 1 through 4, but that number is probably low. It is based on phone calls to lifeguards who are, understandably, busy.
The vast majority of rescues happened at Carolina Beach, which is popular with families, including those taking a day trip from the Triangle.
Water rescues by beach, July 1-3, 2023
Saturday, July 1
Carolina Beach: 61
Wrightsville Beach: 15
Kure Beach: 11
Sunday, July 2
Carolina Beach: 72
Wrightsville Beach: 12
Kure Beach: 17
Monday, July 3
Carolina Beach: 70
Wrightsville Beach: 18
Kure Beach: 2
Tuesday, July 4
Carolina Beach: 25
Wrightsville Beach: 18
Kure Beach: 3
According to the National Weather Service, the most likely time for rip currents comes in the hours before or after low tide, which occurs Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Proffitt offered these tips:
- Don’t swim early in the morning or late in the afternoon
- Never swim near the pier or the jetty
- Never swim in or around inlets
Rip current safety tips
When at the beach
- Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected beach.
- Never swim alone.
- Learn how to swim in the surf. It's not the same as swimming in a pool or lake.
- Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out.
- Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water. This is part of their job.
- Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Permanent rip currents often exist along side these structures.
- Consider using polarized sunglasses when at the beach. They will help you to spot signatures of rip currents by cutting down glare and reflected sunlight off the ocean’s surface.
- Pay especially close attention to children and elderly when at the beach. Even in shallow water, wave action can cause loss of footing.
If caught in a rip current
- Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
- Never fight against the current.
- Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of.
- Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle – away from the current – toward shore.
- If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
- If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.
If you see someone in trouble
- Don't become a victim, too.
- Get help from a lifeguard.
- If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 911.
- Throw the rip current victim something that floats – a life jacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball.
- Yell instructions on how to escape.
- Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.
