Swimming in open water is completely different from swimming in the pool. While you may be a strong swimmer at the pool, it’s important to know your limitations in open water. In the ocean, it’s hard to know how far you’ve swam and we can’t tell how many times we’re surprised by how far we’ve drifted away from where we started. It takes energy to swim all the way back, which can be exhausting. Be careful not to swim out too far if you are not a strong swimmer {or even if you are}. The ocean is a whole different playground than a pool that has safe walls to grab onto.

No matter how well you swim, always swim with a friend or family member {that goes for the pool too}. Swimming alone is dangerous. You never know when you’ll get sick, have a cramp, or get tangled up in other water hazards. With a friend around, you’ll be a lot safer in and around the water. Plus, if you are inexperienced around water or a weak swimmer, any kind of supervision is preferred. We want all of you to be safe and will meet you at the beach if you need a friend to go with you!

Tides change every day and the coastline is variable, so pay attention to lifeguards and signs - these are set each day to designate the safe area to swim in. Do your research on the tides. Areas that look safe can often be dangerous. Beware of rip currents (powerful narrow bands of water that flow quickly away from the sea and can drag you out very fast). Waves break on the sandbank, then the water drains away from the shallow sandy area and into deeper water. Even people who are hanging out in the shallow areas can be dragged into deeper areas by the rip current. Gotta remember these things and stay safe! 

If you do find yourself in trouble, do not panic. Sometimes people find themselves being dragged out by a rip current and cannot swim back. However, when you fight the waves, you end up getting very tired and distressed. The best thing you can do is to stop, float in the water, and attract attention on shore so someone can come to you. If you get pulled out to the open water with a body board or floaty, use that as a tool to save your energy until you can get some help. Wasting your energy to try and swim in could result in drowning. Even if you’re the one on the beach who notices someone who’s in trouble, resist the instinct to dive in and help. Immediately inform a lifeguard. There have been so many incidents where lifeguards then have two people to save because one was trying to help someone else in trouble. So remain calm and use your head if you have trouble in the water. 

From swans to unicorns and palm leaves to doughnuts, we are obsessed with floaties! But when it comes to using those floaties in the ocean, we have to take extra care. With currents and the wind, floaties can be dangerous and carry you in the wrong direction and far out into the open water. We recommend checking the breeze to see which way the wind is blowing before you head into the water with your favorite inflatables. Also be careful with floaties near the shore. If a strong wave picks you up on a floaty, it could slam you into the shore, resulting in head or limb injuries. Waves and floaties can be a fun combo, but always be careful and mindful of what you’re doing with them.