Beach goers staying cautious as the rip current stays strong

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Lifeguards at The Oceanfront are taking extra precautions to keep swimmers safe due to the rip currents.

“What we do to counteract that is put our red flags up and keep people in really, really close, and people are being great. They’re following directions,” said Chief of the Virginia Beach Life Saving Service Tom Gill.

The Virginia Beach Oceanfront had its red flags up and reminded swimmers to stay knee deep.

“A rip current is essentially a channel of water moving away from the shore,” said Gill. “It’s caused by areas either the pier that we have right behind us over here, any kind of obstruction of the water is going to draw water to it.”

If you find yourself in the current, move laterally down the beach until you’re not being pulled out.

“You just kind of be more attentive to keep paddling the opposite way of it, just to stay in, like, where you you want to be. And if needed, you can just go back to shore and walk back if necessary,” said Grant Rohner, a surfer.

Despite the big waves, it has not scared off beach goers.

“When I’m on a board, I feel more safer, so I can just paddle over it, kind of get back to shore if I need to,” said Danny Howerin, a surfer.

Dylan Wheeler who was visiting The Oceanfront with his family said when they first arrived at low tide it was calm, but as the day went on the waves got bigger.

“Now the waves are getting really huge, really up close, which is fun, but also really dangerous,” said Wheeler.

Gill said it’s not pulling you under, but pulling you out into the water.

“If you can float, you can survive a rip current,” he said.

Gill added if you are not an experienced surfer, you might not want to test your skills this weekend.

“Don’t overestimate your skills. Don’t go, oh, there’s big surf. I heard I’m gonna go rent a surfboard for the first time in my life. That is a bad idea,” Gill said.

Even experienced surfers are feeling the pull of the rip currents.

“It’s huge, it’s choppy, but the really strong current pools that way. So I mean, we started all the way over there. We dragged past that full, so very strong current,” said Ethan Houston, a surfer.

The rip current will stay strong on Sunday and possibly into Monday.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.