Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue warns of rip current dangers

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. That means a lot of people went to the beach Saturday and have plans to visit for the remainder of the holiday weekend.

Rip currents are making conditions dangerous for swimmers.

Action News Jax's Courtney Cole spoke to lifeguards on Jacksonville Beach.

Andrew Faus, one of the lieutenants for Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue, told her they were waving the yellow flag on the beach Saturday.

The yellow flag means water conditions are OK for you to get in, but you should proceed with caution.
Faus said they've only had to make a couple of rescues -- on the north end of the beach, closer to the pier, where the rip currents are stronger.

The Action News Jax First Alert Weather Team says the persistent onshore wind is the main factor for the rip currents this weekend, which will be enhanced by Alberto as it passes to the west.

Action News Jax meteorologists have been tracking Alberto over the past few days but that hasn't stopped hundreds of people from making their way to Jacksonville Beach.

“I’m celebrating my 50th birthday this weekend and I’m experiencing all that Jacksonville has to offer,” said Lashon Perry.

Perry says she came down from Warner Robbins, Georgia to enjoy the beach, with friends and family.

“I wanted to get out to beach, thought it was going to rain, it ended up being nice weather,” Perry told Action News Jax.

But Andrew Faus, a Lieutenant with Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue, says nice weather doesn't necessarily mean it's safe to get in the water.

"There’s rip currents right there that people don’t really see. They go swim in those areas  cause they look a little calmer and they’re unable to get back in,” Faus said.

If you do get caught in a rip current, Faus said the most important thing you can do is remain calm.

After that, you want to relax and let it take you—then swim parallel to the shore, before making your way inward.

But the most important thing he wanted to make sure people remember during their next visit is: watch your kids closely.

“That’s one problem that gets overlooked… 'cause the ocean--that long shore current--is always there and the ocean looks the same to children. So you may think they’re close to you, but if you take your eyes of them for a few minutes, that current can take them north and then they’ll walk into shore and not know where you are and get lost really quick,” Faus said.

On Saturday, there were three lifeguards on the north end of the beach, and two on the south end.

Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue says they plan to have more lifeguards out on Sunday and Monday, because they're anticipating even more people than they saw Saturday.

Cox Media Group