Huntinfortail... Have to ask, have you wrote a JHA or risk assessment for this activity?..lol. Had to ask. I have been in the HSE world for a while myself. All kidding aside it only takes a second for things to go terribly wrong. Last summer I was swimming with my son and walked a little too far out, about chest deep and a large wave knocked my feet loose, next thing I know I have my son by the arm and am struggling to get my feet back underneath me and felt the water pushing me back. The currents can be very strong and that was an eye opener for me. RESPECT the ocean, don't fear it, but be aware of the conditions around you.

Just remember if you do get caught in an undertow dont fight it or you will be completely exhausted. Just relax and let it take you eventually you should be out of the current and able to surface. and if your in the rip tide swim with the current, but try and angle towards the beach, they will eventually dump you in calmer water and you will be ok. What gets people is fighting the currents. I made this mistake the first week I was stationed in Hawaii. Seriously almost drowned because I was fighting against the current trying to surface. When I finally accepted death and relaxed a bit is when I was washed up on shore and able to get out. I literally collapsed on the beach and couldnt move a muscle for quite some time. Felt like I fell out of a moving truck at 90mph, every muscle in my body was exhausted and I mean that to the fullest extent. So just relax and go with it as much as you can.