Abstract
Abstract. Rip currents are the greatest hazard to swimmers on surf beaches, but due to a lack of consistent incident reporting in many countries, it is often difficult to quantify the number of rip-current-related rescues and drowning deaths occurring along surf beaches. This study examines this problem using rescue data reported to the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) by surf beach rescuers from 1997 through 2016. These data were checked, corrected, and culled so that only data from surf beach rescue agencies that reported the primary cause of rescue were included. Results show that rip currents are the primary cause of 81.9 % of rescues on surf beaches, with regional variation from 75.3 % (East Coast) to 84.7 % (West Coast). These values are significantly higher than those previously reported in the scientific literature (e.g., 36.5 %, 53.7 %). Using this value as a proxy when examining overall surf beach drowning fatalities, it is suggested that more than 100 fatal drownings per year occur due to rip currents in the United States. However, it is clear that the United States data would benefit by an increase in the number of lifeguard agencies which report surf-related rescues by primary cause.
Highlights
On beaches around the world characterized by wave breaking activity across surf zones, it is well established that the primary cause of rescues conducted by lifeguards, as well as fatal drownings, is rip currents (e.g., Klein et al, 2003; Gensini and Ashley, 2010a; Brighton et al, 2013; Brander and Scott, 2016)
Primary causes of surf beach rescues conducted for the period 1997–2016 for all included reporting agencies in the US were geographically separated into East, West, and Gulf coasts, as well as the Hawaiian Islands (Table 1)
In response to values reported in previous studies, it is hoped that this study provides a clearer representation of the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) dataset in regard to the rip current hazard
Summary
On beaches around the world characterized by wave breaking activity across surf zones ( referred to as “surf beaches”), it is well established that the primary cause of rescues conducted by lifeguards, as well as fatal drownings, is rip currents (e.g., Klein et al, 2003; Gensini and Ashley, 2010a; Brighton et al, 2013; Brander and Scott, 2016). Rip currents are strong and concentrated flows of water moving away from the shoreline that are driven by alongshore variability in wave breaking and energy dissipation (Castelle et al, 2016). They are complex and variable features that are manifest as diverse types, which can be both persistent and transient in occurrence and location, may occupy deeper channels between shallower sand banks, or may lack any morphologic expression at all and can occur along open stretches of beaches, both oceanic and lacustrine, or against hard structures such as headlands or piers (Castelle et al, 2016). Inexperienced surfers and bodyboarders can be imperiled by rip currents (Attard et al, 2015)
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