By Stephanie Lee
Large swells from Tropical Storm Bertha have caused a risk of rip current that will last through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Beach lifeguards rescued nearly 50 people from dangerous riptides during the weekend, said Gary Felch, a lieutenant with Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service.
Swimmers caught in a riptide should swim parallel to shore, he said.
"The biggest mistake they probably make is they try to swim back directly against the rip current, and the rip's moving faster than most people can swim," he said.
Felch estimates that up to 100,000 people visit the Virginia Beach oceanfront daily. While riptides have not caused any deaths at the Beach this year, they are the main reason for rescues, he said.
Stephanie Lee, (757) 446-2628, stephanie.lee@pilotonline.com
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The Surf Brings in the Business
When the waves are running at the CoVB, local businesses see an increase in business. The CoVB needs to recognize this and promote this healthful activity and artform often and freely. Instead, it seems that the CoVB does a lot to stiffle surfing throughout the ocean front and elite neighborhoods both north and south. Maybe that is one reason why the entire surfing community is viewed skeptically because we do demand more from our eleceted representatives when it comes to providing basic and necessary ammenities along all oceanfront locations where surfing is available. This expectation is not selfish, but a common need regardless if you are a tourist, local, democrat, or republican. We have a large area to protect and only 40+ guards? This seems too few to be both efficient and effective during strong swell conditions. Surfing is good for business at the Beach, good for those that enga