Watch Yourself When Swimming at The KBC

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

There was a post on TUG "Another drowning at Waiohai"

Another drowning at Waiohai! - Timeshare Users Group Online Community Forums

California visitor apparent drowning victim on Kaua'i | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

I would just like to warn you about the Rip Tide or current on the north side beach area at the KBC.

This picture was taken from unit 512. The Rip Tide is located on the north corner of the KBC just past where the waves are breaking.



2 year ago my wife was in trouble here with a Rip Tide. She got out by doing the following. She called for help and a strong swimmer came out with Floating Noodle. They got out of the Rip Tide by swimming parallel to the shore.

While on the Lanai of Unit 512 last month we saw the same thing happen with a young man swimming in the same location. Again a strong swimmer helped the man out with a boogie board.

How to Survive a Riptide

1) Remain calm if a rip current begins to pull you away from shore.

2) Call for help immediately

3) Swim parallel to shore to get out of the current.

4) Swim toward the shore once you escape the current.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I was looking at your pics and there were some beach pics that I wouldn't want to go swimming in. I got caught in a riptide in Aruba and had to be rescued . Tis no fun. BTW liked your pics. shaggy

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

can you point out on the picture where the riptide is?

thanks very much for sharing!!! We are headed to Maui in April and Kauai in a few more years and this info will come in handy

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Look To The Right Of The Buoys

can you point out on the picture where the riptide is?

thanks very much for sharing!!! We are headed to Maui in April and Kauai in a few more years and this info will come in handy

There is white water from the waves in the center of the picture. If you look to the right there are three white dots that are three buoys. The rip tide area is to the right of the buoys and as far out as the beginning of the waves.

I hope this helps. It also doesn't seem to be a problem all of the time.

Walt

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

Walt, thanks for the lesson, but man, it is REALLY hard to even tell it is a riptide, maybe because I have never seen one. But, how does one visually recognize one when in the water or beach? I mean, I'd hate to notice when I am IN one

Question (if you know for sure) - if one finds himself pulled by a riptide, can't he just lean back and do a back-float of sort and let the wave carry him OUT of the riptide before he swims back towards shore? I have heard a person float very easily in ocean water due to it's salt content resulting in a more bouyancy effect of a human body? thoughts?

[Kentonmag Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kentonmag]

If you read Wikipedia, all of what TennisWalt says is correct. It also suggests (as Winger mentions) for weaker swimmers to take breaks by treading water or back floating. Very seldom are Rip Currents more than 50 yards wide, so by not panicing and swimming parallel to shore they can be easily evaded. The number one rule is do not swim directly back to the beach into the current.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Walt, thanks for the lesson, but man, it is REALLY hard to even tell it is a riptide, maybe because I have never seen one. But, how does one visually recognize one when in the water or beach? I mean, I'd hate to notice when I am IN one

In Walt's picture, the key is that there is no wave break in the area where the rip tide is located. That's because the outgoing force of the riptide stops the incoming wave.

So if you're on a beach and you see an area in the surf zone where waves seem to die and don't break, you should consider whether a rip is causing that.

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Here iIs A Good Article

In Walt's picture, the key is that there is no wave break in the area where the rip tide is located. That's because the outgoing force of the riptide stops the incoming wave.

So if you're on a beach and you see an area in the surf zone where waves seem to die and don't break, you should consider whether a rip is causing that.

Thsi should help. The animation shows you just how a rip tide is formed.

Walt

They will get you every time!
By Wayne Spivak
National Press Corps
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary


As the waves move in toward the shore, sandbars begin to build. The rougher surf begins to crash into these bars and flow over them. The large amounts of water, with the tremendous pressure these waves can exert on the sandbar finally punches a whole through the sandbar.

So, just like the old story of the hole in the dyke, water that is sitting behind the sandbar (which is between the sandbar and shore) starts to rush out of our whole in the sandbar. The velocity of the water is much higher than the surrounding ocean.

This movement creates the rip tide, and is the chief reason it is so dangerous.

The Dangers of a Rip Tide

More people die from Rip Tides than hurricanes and tornadoes. In Florida, 10 people died in 2001, down from 25 in the 90's. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that 100 people die each year because of Rip Tides (based on a 10 year average – 1994-2003). This is compared to .6 people from sharks, 18 from hurricanes, 53 from lighting, 58 from tornados and 84 from floods. Heat related deaths top the list at 237.


Rip Tides: a danger to swimmers (in fact this is a great website which has an excellent animation to show you just how a rip tide is formed).

GuideLines - Rip Tides: They will get you every time!

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Rip currents can also be caused by coral reefs. The principle is the same as with the sandbar discussed in Walt's link, except that the hindrance to flow is created by reef. As waves break over the reef, water builds up on the landward side of the reef. That water will return to the ocean through a low spot in the reef, creating an almost continuous rip current.

A good example is at Ke'e Beach, at the end of the road on the north side of Kaua'i. along much of the beach the top of the reef is quite shallow, often less submerged less than one foot. But near the west side of the snorkeling area, there's a spot where the reef isn't quite so deep. There's usually a rip current flowing through that gap.

If the ocean is relatively calm, that rip current is actually useful if you want to snorkel on the seaward side of the reef; it carries you through and you don't have to try to cross the shallow coral area. With calm seas the rip usually weak enough so that you can return to shore through the same gap, especially with swim fins.

But in rough water I'm sure that area could be brutal.

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

I Think The Coral Reef Is the Reason at KBC.

It appears that the riptide happens when there is high wave action at KBC.

Walt

Rip currents can also be caused by coral reefs. The principle is the same as with the sandbar discussed in Walt's link, except that the hindrance to flow is created by reef. As waves break over the reef, water builds up on the landward side of the reef. That water will return to the ocean through a low spot in the reef, creating an almost continuous rip current.

A good example is at Ke'e Beach, at the end of the road on the north side of Kaua'i. along much of the beach the top of the reef is quite shallow, often less submerged less than one foot. But near the west side of the snorkeling area, there's a spot where the reef isn't quite so deep. There's usually a rip current flowing through that gap.

If the ocean is relatively calm, that rip current is actually useful if you want to snorkel on the seaward side of the reef; it carries you through and you don't have to try to cross the shallow coral area. With calm seas the rip usually weak enough so that you can return to shore through the same gap, especially with swim fins.

But in rough water I'm sure that area could be brutal.