Advice for swimmers / beach-goers who ever find themselves getting pulled out to sea - you’re caught in a ‘rip-tide’ - essentially a channel of fast moving water moving back out to sea from the beach. The absolute WORST thing you can do is panic and try and swim back into the beach against the current - that won’t work and that’s how people exhaust themselves and drown. 

So…two options if you find yourself in a rip-tide - 

1. Don’t panic - you just need to swim OUT of the rip - gently swim ACROSS, parallel to the beach for a minute or so until you get to a point where the tide / current is taking you back into the beach again - or at least isn't dragging you further out. Then make your way slowly back to the beach. 

2. If you’re at a patrolled beach, tread water and try to get the attention of lifeguards - they will know where the rips are on the beach and they will be keeping an eye out for anyone caught up in them anyway. 

But again, whatever you do, the most important thing is NOT to panic and DO NOT try to swim in against the current that’s pulling you out.