Reverse current: what it is and how not to drown next to the shore

What is Backflow?

The reverse (or ripple) current is a spontaneously arising sea coastal current perpendicular to the coastline. It usually occurs at low tide in places where there are sand bars, reefs or shoals near the coast. Because of them, the water cannot return to the sea evenly, so the main stream rushes at high speed into the strait between obstacles and fades away immediately behind them. As a result, a strong current is formed, capable of instantly carrying a person several tens of meters from the coast. The width of the current varies from 3 to 50 meters, and the speed of the water flow in it varies from 2 km / h to 20 km / h.

Why is it dangerous?

According to statistics, more than 80% of the deaths of swimmers on sea and ocean beaches occur precisely because of the reverse flow. The main danger of such a current is that it arises very close to the shore - where no one expects danger. You can stand in the water a couple of meters from the edge and suddenly find yourself caught up in a strong current. Taken by surprise, the victims try to fight and row to the shore. However, it is practically useless to do this, a person is simply exhausted and dies. In addition, those who do not know how to swim usually splash near the shore.

Where can you find him?

The reverse flow can occur where there is surf: mainly in the seas and oceans, but it also occurs in large lakes. Strong reverse currents most often occur in areas with breakwaters, dams, reefs, offshore islands, spits and shoals. If you are going to vacation where surfers like to hang out, then you will most likely see the opposite currents.

How do you recognize it?

In the reverse course, you can usually notice:

a strip of seething water perpendicular to the shore;
a section of water near the coast, different in color from the rest of the water surface;
foam that quickly floats away from the shore into the sea;
there are waves along the entire coast, but there are no waves in one section several meters wide.

If you are going on a vacation abroad, remember the phrase rip currents and do not go into the water where you see it on flags and signs.

What to do if hit in the reverse flow?

If you feel yourself being dragged into the sea, try to shout or signal to others to alert the rescuers. Don't panic and never row against the stream. Instead, try swimming parallel to the shore: if the current is not very strong, you will most likely be able to get out of it quickly. If you can't swim out of the current, then save your strength and swim forward with the current. It will weaken rather quickly, and then you can swim to the side, and then return to the shore.

How scary! Maybe it's better not to go into the water at all?

In fact, everything is not so scary if you know how the reverse flow works. Firstly, only the upper layer of water moves quickly, which means that it will not sink to the bottom and will not overwhelm you with a wave. Secondly, the width of the current, as a rule, does not exceed 20 meters, which means that you can try to get out of it by swimming quite a bit along the coast. And finally, the length of such a current is not very long: it will not carry you further than 100 meters. If you swim where there are lifeguards, they will reach you in a couple of minutes.