Ocean City Warnings Or Dangers

Rip tide info
A rip tide, or undertow, is a small but strong channel of water moving out to sea. Rip tides are characterized by darker, deeper and foamier water, sometimes with floating debris. The area where the rip is is usually calm with a rippled surface and smaller waves.
Rip tips:
If you get caught in a rip tide,
Stay calm, and do not swim directly against it.
If you are a strong swimmer, swim parallel to shore until you are past the current, and then swim toward the shore.
If you are a weak swimmer, signal to the lifeguard and either float with the current or continue to tread water until help arrives.

Horseshoe crabs, common along the Delaware coast, have evolved little in the last 250 million years. Still, they have survived because of their hard, curved shells, which have made it difficult for predators to overturn them and expose their soft, vulnerable underbellies. The horseshoe crab has also survived because it can go a year
without eating and endure extreme temperatures and salinity.

The Delaware Bay region is home to the largest population of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), which is found along the western shores of the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to the Yucatan. Another three species live in the coastal waters from Japan to Indonesia.

Once called "Horsefoot Crabs" because of the resemblance of its shell to a horse hoof, the Horseshoe Crab isn't really a crab. Related to scorpions, ticks and land spiders, horseshoe crabs have their own classification (Class Merostomata).

If stung see a Lifeguard, heard they have something for it.....or, as my Grandmom always had us do,take 'meat tenderizer' with you on the beach.sprinkle on area..mainly later in the year the arrive..just ask , or watch in the water or you will sometimes see them washed ashore.. If you see one there prob. will be a couple more.....

Or better yet charter a boat. Here you can see what can happen if you don't know what the heck you are doing out there.
There were two small children (about 4 or 5 years old) on board this craft. The waves were tipping this pontoon boat straight up in the air, about to smash it on the rocks. Some surfers pulled this boat safely to the shore.

Biggest danger is the strong tides for swimmers. Sometimes you might get caught off guard by some powerful currents that will suck you into the middle of the ocean! Don't fight it. Just swim parrlel to the beach till it gets weaker then swim back. But do be careful!

Careful of the heavy winds. You can literally be sandblasted by the wind.

Also watch out for the rip tide. Usually very strong during changing weather - the onset of a storm, a day or two before it hits the area.

Make sure you watch the flags when you're at the beach. THey will tell you whether or not it is safe to go in the water. I remember one time there was a flag because there was a Man-of-war in the water. Nice to look at from the beach, but I wouldn't want to be swimming with it.

the local place to go if you need Medical help ( if 911 not needed)