City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.

 It was the summer of my 19th year, and I was out surfing at Garden City Beach. A tropical storm spawned 6-foot waves and pink tourists frolicked like a scene from Jaws. Thanks to a drill-sergeant instructor, I had just earned my ocean lifesaving certification. I was feeling pretty good. 

Paddling back out after a drubbing, I noticed a kid about 15 yards away. His head bobbed in 4 feet of water and everything looked fine. The water was rough, but others were swimming by him right in front of the lifeguard. His hands broke the surface in a dog paddle. Still, his clumsy movements brought out my instructor’s words: “Drowning people don’t look like drowning people,” he said. “Even if their eyes and nose are above water, their mouths are submerged. They can’t scream and they’re too busy struggling, or too tired to wave.” 

Suddenly, the kid went under. I sprinted over, yelling to a swimming couple: “There was a kid — right here!” He was their son. He had been drowning, but they didn’t even know it. 

After an interminable 10 seconds scratching the foam, the kid bounced into me — face down, arms akimbo, skin purple. I yanked him up and laid him over the top of my board. He retched seawater and wailed like any kid who almost died would. 

Today, I still wonder what would have happened had I not been told what to look for. Partly because of that incident, I launched a book project a few years ago — The Ocean. The Ultimate Handbook of Nautical Knowledge — that sought the life-saving wisdom of scores of ocean experts. What follows is an abbreviated Lowcountry-centered beach safety breakdown that we hope will keep you safe. 

Surfing has exploded in Charleston. For beginners, a little local advice:

Surfing has many unwritten rules. Lessen the odds of injury or confrontation with a surf lesson. Shaka Surf School, Sol Surfers, Isla Surf School, Carolina Salt and Salt Marsh Surf School are all reputable local operations. 

Big board. Get a long (8-foot or more), soft surfboard like a Costco Wavestorm or a SoftTop that won’t knock you out when it inevitably hits you in the head. You can also rent soft surfboards from several local shops including Ocean and McKevlin’s on Folly Beach. 

Go where people aren’t. You generally can’t surf at the lifeguarded beaches near piers and at our county parks when the guards are out. There’s still plenty of room. At Folly, the waves are far less crowded between the 4th Block West End and Folly Beach County Park. At Isle of Palms, the blocks between 20th and 30th north of the pier tend to be the most crowded. 

Stay out of the way. For beginners, the best way to get yelled at or punched is to “drop in” on another surfer. The most important rule is that the surfer closest to the breaking whitewater (also known as the curl) moving down the line has the right-of-way. This means you should always glance over both shoulders when paddling for a wave. If you’re paddling next to someone who’s nearest to the curl, back off. If you accidentally interfere with a surfer’s ride (known as a “drop-in,” “burn” or “snake”), do your best to get out of their way. If that’s impossible and you stuff them back in the whitewater, make sure to apologize. 

In the Lowcountry, we generally see two types of beach currents. Longshore currents run parallel to the beach. They’re caused by tidal flows or strong winds blowing sideways up or down the beach. 

Rip currents are created either by longshore currents pushing up against piers and jetties or by wave energy. Rips are likely to be much stronger right alongside piers or jetties. In wave-spawned rips, water is pushed ashore by waves then funneled back out to sea. Look for a stream of choppy, more turbid water. 

The calm-looking waters at the ends of our barrier island beaches can look inviting. But these are the spots where tidal currents can be far stronger than you can swim. Avoid them.

Summertime sand or pavement can be over 120 F. Paws or feet can be seriously burned when ground temperature exceeds 111 F. If you reach the beach early, the sand will be much hotter when you leave. Bring flip flops.

Lightning can strike miles ahead of a Lowcountry thunderstorm. Summer storms can advance at more than 50 mph, and saltwater conducts electricity well. If you hear thunder, get out of the ocean and off the beach. A car is very safe during a storm. NOTE: Because of how lightning can travel from a structure into the ground, standing under a pier or at the edge of a porch or overhang, is a bad idea. 

From oysters to broken glass to surfboard fins, our beaches can be sharp. If a cut is severe or spurting, call 911. After stopping bleeding, any cut must be cleaned thoroughly. 

Stop the bleeding: Most bleeding can be controlled with direct pressure. Apply solid pressure over the length of the cut. If a wound is spurting blood at the same rate as a heartbeat, this indicates a severed artery, and steady compression is critical. You must exceed the internal pressure with external pressure. Hold clean fabric — or whatever you have, like a towel or T-shirt — while applying nonstop direct pressure for as long as it takes to stop bleeding. If pressure fails to stop the bleeding or it’s spurting badly, you must apply a tourniquet. 

Apply a tourniquet: A tourniquet cuts off blood circulation to a limb, and once applied, it MUST remain in place until the victim reaches a medical facility. The most effective is a combat application tourniquet (CAT). To improvise one, wrap a long strip of cloth at least a half inch wide (not shoe string or wire) one or more times above but not over the wound (ideally, above elbow or knee). Wrap over clothing to protect skin. Tie a half knot, place a rigid stick on the knot, then tie another knot to bind the stick. Twist the stick until bleeding stops, then immobilize the stick so it doesn’t loosen. 

Enroll kids — even infants — in swimming lessons. For older kids, consider a Red Cross Certified Lifeguard course to learn rescues and CPR. Charleston County Parks and Recreation’s Junior Lifeguard Program is excellent and fills up quickly (chscp.co/jr-lifeguard-program).

Venomous jellyfish and tiny immature jellies, aka “sea lice,” stings are the most common Lowcountry beach injuries. Many popularized “traditional” remedies can actually worsen stings.

The first rule of dealing with stings is to avoid jellyfish. Lowcountry jellyfish stings start to ramp up in July. Strong, southerly winds can also blow Portuguese man-o’-wars ashore. In late summer, we even see small box jellyfish (Chiropsalmus quadrumanus) aka sea wasps. Though not as bad as Australian boxes, they’re still terrible. Big, round cannonball jellies are everywhere, but they’re generally harmless.

Stingers are triggered by skin contact.  Wearing thin fabrics dramatically reduces risks. Think form-fitting wetsuits and Lycra clothing like rash guards and “swim yoga” pants. 

There are a host of old wives’ tales about how to treat stings that are just plain wrong. Therefore:

Stingrays bury themselves in the sand and can whip a venom-coated spine on their tails with lightning speed. It’s outrageously painful. Shuffle your feet through the sand to scare them off (this doesn’t always work).

Drowning swimmers do not flail around, screaming. They’re often so exhausted that they’re partially submerged. In fact, someone might drown right in front of you if you don’t know the signs:

Anyone who has nearly drowned needs medical treatment. Desperate for breath, panicked swimmers may climb on top of you. Bring a flotation device if possible. 

If you don’t have a flotation device:

If you have a surfboard or flotation device:

Drowning CPR is different from heart attack CPR. In a drowning, the person is often unconscious, not necessarily because the heart has stopped, but from lack of oxygen.

For more information on how to enjoy a beach safely, consider The Ocean: The Ultimate Handbook of Nautical Knowledge: chscp.co/the-ocean.

Stay cool. Support City Paper.

City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.