# New advice when caught in a rip current: dog paddle and wait it out

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-advice-when-caught-in-a-rip-current-dog-paddle-and-wait-it-out/508518>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 1, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-advice-when-caught-in-a-rip-current-dog-paddle-and-wait-it-out/508518 "2009-09-01T18:24:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-advice-when-caught-in-a-rip-current-dog-paddle-and-wait-it-out/508518/1 "2009-09-01T18:24:16Z")

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[Tierney Lab column](http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/new-way-to-beat-rip-currents-tread-water/#more-5253)

The gist is that these currents are not “rivers out to sea” but whirlpools, and will bring you back to shore.

“each year in America about 100 people drown because of rip currents, and more than 50,000 swimmers are rescued from the currents by lifeguards.”