Ocean Safety

By: Karen Stadtmueller

May 29th, 2020 

When you go to the beach,even if there is a lifeguard there, it is always important to follow a few simple rules to keep you safe. The first, and this is difficult for many people to comply with: wear sunblock and reapply sunblock. Taking care of your body isn’t just lifting weights and doing face masks. It’s good practice to never leave the house without some form of SPF on your skin. Personally, I apply a facial moisturizer with SPF 25, even if I plan to be in the shade. Your skin is your largest organ, protect it. Another helpful hint is to check the weather ahead of time. Be educated, be prepared. Knowing what to bring to the beach prior to departure is important to stay safe and comfortable. I always pack a hat to keep the sun off my head, and many trips I bring a sweatshirt or blanket if I know I’ll be on the sand till past sundown. But the education doesn’t stop there. Educate yourself on high and low tides in order to perfectly plan your next beach trip.

 Now that you’ve applied your sunscreen and laid your towel and chair down hiding all your valuables, it is time to get in the water and cool off. Always swim in the designated swimming area, monitored by lifeguards. Now, I’ve mentioned this next tip many many times before so this should be a recap: swim with a buddy. There’s safety in numbers. The ocean is finicky, even when you’re at a beach you know very well, and a current may come and sweep you off of your feet. To protect yourself in the ocean, never go in alone. While you (and your buddy) are swimming, if you feel yourself being pulled out to the water further than you’d prefer, you may be caught in a current. In order to remove yourself from this rip current, calmly swim parallel to the beach (sideways). If you swim straight along the “coastal boundary” or shore line you will  pull yourself out of the tide and be able to swim in toward the shore at another spot. I recommend swimming a modified Freestyle or Approach Stroke with your head out of the water, the Sidestroke, or the Elementary Backstroke. The modified Freestyle as well as the two other strokes are safety strokes that allow swimmers to relax as heart rate lowers and muscles take a break. 

Last, but definitely not least, and I started a new paragraph to really get this point across: don’t drink and dive. Alcohol and swimming do not mix, if you are on the beach, stay sober.  

Beach and Ocean Safety- American Red Cross

Respect Our Ocean & Stay Safe- HIOceanSafety.com

Stay Safe At the Beach- 13 Tips for Preventing Injury and Illness