The first calendar day of Summer is June 20, but it comes a little later for Shore Regional students on June 22 (the last day of finals). With the season of swimming pools, beach days, and water parks it is imperative to stop for a minute and make sure you are doing all you can to be safe in the water this summer.

First tip, is to always swim near a lifeguard. Try to always attend beaches that are guarded. If at a beach without patrol on duty, do not swim alone. If you know you are not the best swimmer, do not go in the water past your waist, or use a flotation device like a bodyboard or life jacket.

Secondly, if the water looks rough and you are doubting your ability to swim in it, do not swim. When in doubt, do not go out.

Third, do not consume alcohol and then swim. This is a deadly combination because when your coordination begins to fail you, you can find yourself too quickly too far out to swim back to the shore line.

Finally, know the water you are swimming in. When you arrive at the beach ask the lifeguards if there are any rough spots or rip currents to avoid. A rip current can be identified as a “mushroom cloud” or river of discolored or cloudy water that will pull you out very quickly much farther than you can probably handle. Rip currents are too powerful to fight head on; this is how drowning occurs when one tries to swim as fast as they can against the current and becomes too tired to stay afloat. If you find yourself caught in a rip, remain calm, swim out to your left or right, and begin to swim in slowly without exerting yourself too much. If you are worried you cannot make the swim wave your arms or yell for assistance.