Doesn’t the Dominican Red Cross still train lifeguards? Many moons ago, Mr AE received certification from them, he worked as a lifeguard at the Hispaniola before getting into the casino business circa 1972. I remember seeing his framed diploma and one from PADI (he was a diver too) in his room.
He taught swimming in DR and here too. He knows rip currents well. He used to go swim at Guibia on the malecon, and more than once he was caught in one and ended up down by Vesuvio. The key, he says, is never fight it, just let it take you.
Rip currents, not to be confused with undertow, can be both violent and deadly. They are the number one ocean swimming hazard. Having spent ten summers as an ocean lifeguard and been subjected to one particularly violent Rip, they can humble the best and most powerful swimmers.
I had just finished a training exercise and was exhausted as I tried to exit the water. Hit by a large rogue wave and unable to take a breath and pretty much out of air I was caught in the Rip. As was already posted, the key is to do exactly the opposite of what your instincts tell you to do.........which would be to fight the Rip current.
Extend your arms, relax your body and just let it happen. You may be underwater for a period longer than you would like, but the key is to relax, holding your breath and counting slowly 1001, 1002 etc. Take your mind off of the situation as best you can.
Eventually the Rip stops and you can then proceed to swim sideways (parallel to shore) out of the Rip area.......and then back onto shore.
Of course it is not as easy as depicted but panicking is the surest way to drown in a Rip. You exhaust all your energy and more importantly.........all your air.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2