America's deadliest beach: Sheriff of
Panama City Beach slams swimmer for ignoring
warnings after riptides drown SEVEN in
two weeks - including ex-NFL QB Ryan Mallett
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Harriet Alexander
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
6/28/2023 7:50:33 AM
The sheriff of a Florida Panhandle county declared he is 'beyond frustrated' at beachgoers ignoring warnings about deadly rip tides after seven people drowned at Panama City beach limits in less than two weeks.
Tommy Ford, the sheriff of Bay County, whose district includes the popular Florida resort town of Panama City, said the deaths were 'tragic and unnecessary'.
On Tuesday, 35-year-old former NFL player Ryan Mallett drowned after getting caught in a rip tide 50 miles west of Panama City, in Destin, Florida.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
hoosierblue 6/28/2023 7:58:18 AM (No. 1501170)
I don't know why he is so upset if it is posted and they know the dangers, it is their own fault. You can't provide baby sitters for people throughout their lives.
19 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Hazymac 6/28/2023 8:01:59 AM (No. 1501172)
Rip currents, not rip tides. Even Michael Phelps is his Olympic prime could not swim against such a current and get back to shore. So what to do? Swim parallel to shore until you're out of the rip current, then swim into shore normally. Just don't panic.
42 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
southernboy 6/28/2023 8:27:59 AM (No. 1501188)
Even better...stay out of the water!
Some of those lost were old enough to know better!
18 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
MickTurn 6/28/2023 8:51:33 AM (No. 1501212)
Darwin Award Winners...Read the sign, maybe they need to show pictures of the rip tides sucking a swimmer down and out!
13 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
red1066 6/28/2023 8:53:14 AM (No. 1501217)
I don't go into the ocean water above my knees. I once stepped on a small shark in water that was as clear as glass. I've seen a pod of pilot whales swim so close to shore, they went around people in water waist deep and the people in the water never saw them. If these small whales are swimming that close to shore, they are either chasing food, or swimming away from danger like maybe a shark. I'm content to just sit on the beach and listen to the waves.
27 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Corndoggies 6/28/2023 9:03:26 AM (No. 1501236)
A million years ago when I was 14, my parents let me bring a friend on vacation to Virginia Beach. We arrived late afternoon and my friend and I wanted to go swimming. Red flags were out but we were stupid teenage girls from Indiana. Truly it’s only by the grace of God my friend and I made it out. I’ll never forget my friend crawling on the beach throwing up water. A couple came over to check on us and explained the flag system.
18 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Venturer 6/28/2023 9:14:37 AM (No. 1501240)
When you put out the red flags close the beach.
The beach is there the water is there ,the sun is shining, it's hot,
People are going to go in the water.
6 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
udanja99 6/28/2023 9:44:09 AM (No. 1501265)
#2, beat me to it. I grew up on that part of the Gulf Coast and it’s something you are taught at an early age. You don’t even have to swim parallel to the shore. You can just float and let the current carry you along until you’re out of it. After that, you just have a long walk back to your beach chair.
18 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Birddog 6/28/2023 10:29:28 AM (No. 1501288)
The NFL player was with a group of around a dozen people that ALL got washed out together, sounds like several people were trying to help others and got swept out with them...it may well be that someone panicked and pulled him under. I used to surf, if the waves are big enough to ride there are Rips, we'd spot them and ride them out, surf back in in between. It was a regular event to have to aid people that got washed off their feet and out past the point where they could stand, that also couldn't swim well. People surfing or boogie boarding shouldn't be banned from the water on days like these. Even a light wet suit vest is enough additional boyancy that most people will be safe.
9 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Maggie2u 6/28/2023 10:38:50 AM (No. 1501294)
For thirty years we would go camping near a small town on the coast of Washington state, Ocean Shores, there are signs up all over warning about the riptides and to stay out of the water. Several years ago when we came into town we noticed all the flags were at half-staff. We asked someone what had happened and were told one of the towns first responders, a fire fighter, drowned while they were training for water rescues. So even someone experienced can lose their lives
11 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
snowoutlaw 6/28/2023 10:56:02 AM (No. 1501299)
They shouldn't complain, if it weren't for these kinds of beachgoers they wouldn't have a job.
4 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Strike3 6/28/2023 11:55:10 AM (No. 1501338)
Should have put out the "Shark" signs instead. Most people have a greater fear of being eaten than of drowning. I once saved a young lady from a riptide in Puerto Rico and it was a tossup whether we were going to make it or not. I was a diver in very good condition at the time. They are a nasty and nearly invisible danger.
11 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
faceincrowd 6/28/2023 12:26:32 PM (No. 1501352)
@Strike3, excellent idea! I used to watch episodes of "Bondi Beach" on You Tube when I could find them People are stupid there too. If the rip gets bad enough, they order people out of the water. If they moving to slowly, they sound the "shark alarm". You should see how fast people move then!
6 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
BirdsNest 6/28/2023 1:11:21 PM (No. 1501384)
Personally if I can't see the bottom, I am not getting in. And as far as the ocean goes- forget it. Not going to be some snack for a bunch of sharks in a feeding frenzy.
5 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
DVC 6/28/2023 2:15:36 PM (No. 1501425)
Swim parallel to the beach if caught in a rip. They are narrow and you will swim out of if fairly quickly. If you swim directly towards shore, you'll continue to be carried out, and exhaust yourself.
5 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
lynngirl122 6/28/2023 4:50:02 PM (No. 1501478)
How do you NOT panic?
4 people like this.
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