Riptide Wisdom from the “James Bond of Lifeguards”

 Happy summer, friends!  You know I love the beach, but nothing freaks me out more than riptides.

With Hurricane Erin stirring up the East Coast, I called in my go-to water safety guy — Wyatt Werneth, spokesperson for the American Lifeguard Association. I call him the James Bond of lifeguards … because, well, he is.

Wyatt literally jumped off the beach in Cocoa Beach, Florida to join me on the show. His first tip? “Everywhere there’s a dip, there’s a rip.”

Translation: If the water keeps rushing in and your blanket, toys, and beach bag get soaked while everyone around you stays dry — there’s a riptide zone in front of you.

We also talked about what to do if you get caught up in one.

For years, the rule was: swim parallel to the shore. But Wyatt says research shows riptides don’t always pull straight out — sometimes going sideways or in circles.

Meaning? Swimming parallel may not always work. That’s why you may have also heard new advice: turn over, float, and indicate you need  help.

Wyatt broke it down in a way we can all remember with the acronym RIP:

• R = Relax
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