A silent danger for swimmers at Carolina Beach

NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Dangerous rip currents along Carolina Beach have kept lifeguards busy this Memorial Day weekend. Lifeguard Chase Walters rescued five people Saturday from being sucked deeper into the ocean.

“Yesterday was really bad; we probably had about 25 rescues.” Walters says so far there have been no deaths, but warns swimmers to be careful.

To get out of a rip current you have to swim parallel to the shoreline and as soon as you feel that you’re not being sucked out, swim back to shore. Lifeguards also suggest that families stay in close areas near the lifeguard stand, so that if your loved one is caught in a rip current, a life guard can spot them.

Leona George, a Warsaw resident remembers all too well, when her cousin, a professional swimmer, was killed by a powerful rip tide. “It was just him and a couple of little guys, it was his senior year and they came out to enjoy themselves, and they were out they’re playing, and next thing you know he got missing.”

Leona also says that incident makes her keep a closer eye on her kids.”I try to keep my kids where they can only go so far, even though you know how to swim, when one of those get a hold to you, you don’t know what could happen,…I just try to keep them up this way so I don’t have to worry about anything happening to them.” This is a wise tip to keep your kids safe this summer.