Dangerous rip currents can carry even a strong swimmer away from the beach. During a high risk advisory, a pretty ocean view is a reason to enjoy the coast from a safe place on land, not a reason to test the water.
Beach update, checked October 21, 2026
At 4:04 a.m. Eastern, NWS Melbourne extended high rip current risk through late Thursday night, October 22. Officials strongly discouraged entering the surf.
The affected coastal portions within Sanderling’s service area include Melbourne area beaches, Indian River County beaches around Sebastian and Vero Beach, St. Lucie County beaches around Fort Pierce and Hutchinson Island, and Martin County beaches from Jensen Beach and Stuart south to Hobe Sound.
Check the current NWS forecast before a visit. This dated report is not an all clear after the stated end time. Officials may extend or replace an advisory.
What is happening in the water?
Waves bring water toward the beach. That water needs a route back out. A break in a sandbar can concentrate the returning flow into a narrow channel moving away from shore. NOAA explains this circulation with a useful diagram.
A rip current carries water outward. It is different from a tidal current around an inlet, and it is not a current that pulls people downward. The danger remains serious: someone carried offshore can become exhausted and struggle to stay afloat.
Some measured rip currents have reached eight feet per second, faster than an Olympic swimmer. That is a possible current speed, not a measurement of today’s Treasure Coast surf. Strength in the pool does not make someone able to fight an ocean current. See NOAA’s explanation.
Sunshine does not tell us whether swimming is safe
Rip currents can occur on sunny days. A quieter looking gap between breaking waves can also be a clue to moving water. Looking for clues is educational, but it cannot establish that a stretch of ocean is safe. Use official forecasts, posted warnings and the guidance of lifeguards. NWS beach safety advice explains what to check before going in.
If someone gets caught
Try to stay calm, float and call or wave for help. Do not exhaust yourself swimming directly against the current toward shore. If able, swim along the shoreline to leave the current, then return toward the beach at an angle. NOAA’s Rip Current Survival Guide shows these steps.
If you see someone struggling, get a lifeguard. If no lifeguard is available, call 911. From a safe position, throw something that floats if you can. Do not rush into the water to attempt a rescue. NOAA’s rescue guidance explains why helpers can also become victims.
For curious kids and grandkids
You might explain it this way: Waves bring water to the beach, and sometimes that water takes a strong, narrow path back out. A swimmer can be carried along that path. That is why we listen to the lifeguard and check the beach forecast, even when the sky looks beautiful.
Watch NOAA’s Rip Current Safety for Kids together. Then ask: Who would you tell if you saw someone in trouble? The answer is a grownup or lifeguard. A child should not enter the water to rescue someone. Beach decisions and supervision remain the adult’s responsibility.
Listen, Watch, Do
Listen: In NOAA Ocean Podcast episode 66, scientist Gregory Dusek explains rip currents, forecasts and preparation. The June 2023 episode is an educational resource, not today’s local forecast.
Watch: The Rip Current Survival Guide pairs footage of real currents with practical advice. Pause to talk about what you notice, rather than treating one picture as a safety test.
Do: Try NOAA’s ten minute water current activity at home with an adult. It uses a baking pan, water, coarse pepper and straws. Follow the linked setup: shallow water, a little pepper to make movement visible, and gentle blowing across the surface. Put a towel underneath and keep the water away from electronics. Blow outward only and do not taste the water.
This activity shows wind driven surface circulation. It does not create a true rip current or show what its force feels like. Younger children can watch an adult demonstrate. Ask: What moved the pepper? What changed when the direction changed? The real beach lesson is to respect moving water and check conditions, not to test your strength in it.
A beach day can wait for better conditions. Learning something together can happen around the kitchen table today. You can find our temporary coastal notice on the Sanderling homepage, and use the official NWS links above for current guidance.
