VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Lifeguards at The Oceanfront are taking extra precautions to keep swimmers safe due to the rip currents.
“What we do to counteract that is put our red flags up and keep people in really, really close, and people are being great. They’re following directions,” said Chief of the Virginia Beach Life Saving Service Tom Gill.
The Virginia Beach Oceanfront had its red flags up and reminded swimmers to stay knee deep.
“A rip current is essentially a channel of water moving away from the shore,” said Gill. “It’s caused by areas either the pier that we have right behind us over here, any kind of obstruction of the water is going to draw water to it.”
If you find yourself in the current, move laterally down the beach until you’re not being pulled out.
“You just kind of be more attentive to keep paddling the opposite way of it, just to stay in, like, where you you want to be. And if needed, you can just go back to shore and walk back if necessary,” said Grant Rohner, a surfer.