This article gives the wrong impression

Martin W. Smith said:

cnn.comdeadly.panhandle.apOpen ↗
/index.html

It implies that rip currents are causing these drownings.
I've been in rip currents, and they didn't threaten to
drown me. What they did do was pull me away from the shore.

I'm guessing that most of these people drowned because they
were weak swimmers, who should not have been swimming in
the ocean. The second most common cause was probably that
they got into trouble while swimming alone.

A good swimmer without fins cannot compete with rip
currents. You go where it goes. If that's into big surf,
well, should have missed them. Since they're harder to
identify than big waves, no reason not to emphasize them. (I
find it hard to believe red flags on the beach are
ambiguous, however)

It's perfectly fine to make them the proximate cause of
drowning. I've been playing in the Pacific Coast surf since
I was 6 and I recall a time or two where I got stuck in
washing machines. And I'm no weak swimmer.

--
Jason O'Rourke www.jor.com

(Jason O'Rourke) said:

Martin W. Smith said:

cnn.comdeadly.panhandle.aOpen ↗
p/index.html

It implies that rip currents are causing these
drownings. I've been in rip currents, and they didn't
threaten to drown me. What they did do was pull me away
from the shore.

I'm guessing that most of these people drowned because
they were weak swimmers, who should not have been swimming
in the ocean. The second most common cause was probably
that they got into trouble while swimming alone.

A good swimmer without fins cannot compete with rip
currents. You go where it goes. If that's into big surf,
well, should have missed them. Since they're harder to
identify than big waves, no reason not to emphasize them.
(I find it hard to believe red flags on the beach are
ambiguous, however)

We're not supposed to compete with them, of course, and if
there is big surf, we shouldn't even go out.

Quoted message said:

It's perfectly fine to make them the proximate cause of
drowning. I've been playing in the Pacific Coast surf since
I was 6 and I recall a time or two where I got stuck in
washing machines. And I'm no weak swimmer.

But you didn't drown.

martin

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

cnn.comdeadly.panhandle.aOpen ↗
p/index.html

It implies that rip currents are causing these
drownings. I've been in rip currents, and they didn't
threaten to drown me. What they did do was pull me away
from the shore.

I'm guessing that most of these people drowned because
they were weak swimmers, who should not have been swimming
in the ocean. The second most common cause was probably
that they got into trouble while swimming alone.

martin

I agree. I've swum in some of the beaches in that area, and
I would characterize them as *particularly* tame, especially
when compared to the west coast or the east coast of Florida
(where I grew up.) But although the gulf beaches are
relatively lake-like, what I did notice was a much higher
percentage of drunk people than what I'd seen in other
places (it's the destination of many a midwestern road
trip.) Somehow I suspect this might be a player in their
drowning statistics; not something the local Chamber of
Commerce would likely care to comment on.

- Al

Quoted message said:

I agree. I've swum in some of the beaches in that area,
and I would characterize them as *particularly* tame,
especially when compared to the west coast or the east
coast of Florida (where I grew up.) But although the gulf
beaches are relatively lake-like, what I did notice was a
much higher percentage of drunk people than what I'd seen
in other places (it's the destination of many a midwestern
road trip.) Somehow I suspect this might be a player in
their drowning statistics; not something the local Chamber
of Commerce would likely care to comment on.

- Al

In a small to medium lake nearby a couple of twenty-
somethings drowned 2 years ago due to their 1>floating on
an inflatable raft, 2>drinking beer while floating and
3>not even knowing how to swim! They drowned within 20 feet
of the shore.

Pat in TX

Al <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<MPG.1aea1ad85af9859798978f@mayonews>...

Quoted message said:

I agree. I've swum in some of the beaches in that area,
and I would characterize them as *particularly* tame,
especially when compared to the west coast or the east
coast of Florida (where I grew up.) But although the gulf
beaches are relatively lake-like, what I did notice was a
much higher percentage of drunk people than what I'd seen
in other places (it's the destination of many a midwestern
road trip.) Somehow I suspect this might be a player in
their drowning statistics; not something the local Chamber
of Commerce would likely care to comment on.

The Gulf has changed in recent years. It's a far more
dangerous place than it was before Opal, Erin, George,
Helene, Earl.... Hurricanes have changed the topography
of the area close to shore- lots of sand bars, the ocean
floor's less even than it used to be, etc. That part of
the Gulf still tends to be calmer than Lake Michigan on
good days. But when the surf kicks up even a little,
these days you get rip currents att a much much higher
rate than you used to because of the changes to the near
shore ocean floor.

The problem is almost solely with the tourists. The locals
have had it drilled into their heads that if the red flag is
up, and you're not a surfer, then you stay out of the water.
They've also had the "if a rip current catches you, don't
panic, let it carry you until it lets go then swim in"
message drilled into their skulls. I'd guess that 90% of the
deaths are idiot touristas.

But the touristas *sigh* The touristas have paid their money
for vacation and are going to go for a swim no matter what.
And nothing bad ever happens on vacation right? So on a
couple of the bad multiple drownings weekends last summer,
we had the sheriff's office going up and down the beach with
a megaphone telling people to stay out of the water. As soon
as the deputy was out of sight, the people were right back
in the water because no one was going to tell them what to
do on their vacation. There has been talk about local
ordinances that would allow the police to issue civil
citations for anyone other than surfers who go in the water
when a beach has been 'closed due to unsafe water
conditions' but the talk hasn't gone too far yet.

And then they go in the water and get caught up in a rip
current and panic and try to swim against the current, which
is strong enough that even Ian Thorpe couldn't go against
it. And then some other idiot tries to jump in and 'save'
them and gets caught up in the current too because they try
to swim against the currents too.