Rip Tides in Danang

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our mission personnel have moved to a new favorite hotel in Danang, the Hyatt Regency.  As it turns out, the term "favorite" hotel is a little generous given my unofficial census of those who favor the Hyatt over the Furama. According to my statistics, it is running about 70 / 30 in favor of the Furama.  That isn't my battle, however, and quite frankly I don't care that much one way or the other.

The one thing for sure is that the beach and water where the Hyatt is situated is much cleaner than the more northern beach in front of the Furama.  So clean, that Diep who is an avid saltwater bather won't let me take a trip to Danang without her in tow anymore.

Diep was with me on Saturday morning when we took an early morning dip in the South China Sea.  This time of year, the sea state isn't that calm and there is a continuous barrage of waves hitting the shore. Diep had a kick board and was already out over her head when I got in the water and went out towards her. As I got over my head I realized I was drifting away from the shore and north swiftly and decided it was time to pull it back in closer to land.

Careful of Rip Tides in Da Nang

I consider myself a fairly strong novice swimmer and I am comfortable in water. I have read books to improve my stroke and can cover 25 meters in half a minute without trying too hard.  Having said that, I found myself almost in a panic after I put my head into the waves and tried to move toward the shore.  After about 12 strong strokes I looked up and realized I was still moving north and possibly further out into the sea. I did this one more time and realized I was in a rip tide.  Diep wasn't too far away and asked me a question.  I can't remember what the question was but I remember I answered her that I might be in trouble.  She offered to toss me the kick board but I told her I would be okay; just had to concentrate.  She wasn't more than 30 meters away and didn't seem to be in the same current.

There were several factors working against me, the biggest of which was that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and was a little weak from my overnight fast.  The second was that my first effort to get back into shallower waters was a little too fast and too furious and I fatigued quickly.  I stopped working against the waves and recalled everything I knew about rip tides.

I know quite a bit, actually, but trusting myself was the hardest part of getting out of this rip tide.  I know to swim parallel to the shore until clearing the rip and not to panic. I also know I can float on my back for a very long time and that the fisherman have caught just about every large fish there is in that part of Danang's waters so, at least ,I wasn't hearing the music (Jaws theme).  With that knowledge I slowed down my stroke and moved diagonally north and toward the shore.  I eventually hit a shallow sand bar and from there got back to shore easily.  Maybe this sounds a little dramatic for a rip tide, but panic was definitely the biggest enemy I fought that day. If I had been less familiar with sea water and didn't understand rip tides I could have easily psyched myself into a tragic death.

After the moment was over, I didn't think much more about it.  I should have warned others in the office because I wasn't the only one who had a situation.  Another member of the office had his son with him and got in a much stronger rip than I. A combat swimmer, he spent thirty minutes fighting the rip and keeping his son calm and above the wave line before some life guards realized he needed assistance.  Fortunately, everything ended well for them, but for others who might be taking a swim in the South China Sea in April when the sea state is high, let this be a cautionary tale.