As the warm weather returns, it's wise to be familiar with a potential killer at the beach - rip currents.
Often called rip tides, although not tidal, these occur all along Cornwall's coast and flow out from the beach.
The danger is that they are often faster than anyone could swim.
More than 100 people die each year after getting caught in rip currents, making them the top danger for people at beaches.
Thousands more are saved from their peril by lifeguards.
They typically flow is at 0.5 meters per second (1–2 feet per second), btu can reach 2.5 meters per second (8 feet per second), which is faster than any human swimmer.
Panicked swimmers often try to counter a rip current by swimming straight back to shore—putting themselves at risk of drowning because of fatigue.
And with typical American enthusiasm, this video by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration teaches you what to do if you get caught in a rip.
In Cornwall, it is best to swim at RNLI lifeguard patrolled beaches, and stick to the designated areas, which are placed to keep swimmers away from rip currents.
