Playing safe
at the beach
Be beach smart. Even though the beach is fun,
you need to play safe.
The Oregon Coast is a great place to visit. Whether you are looking for seashells,
building sand castles or exploring tide pools, the beach can be a lot of fun.
Remember, the ocean has dangerous waves, logs, rocks and cliffs.
Talk to your family and friends about how to play safe on the beach.
Beware of rip currents.
Rip currents are strong currents of water that rush out to sea. They can form on any
beach that has breaking waves. If you look closely, you can see a rip current. It will have
dark muddy water and be very choppy. You might see foam and other debris floating
out to sea. If you see a rip current, stay away! They are very dangerous.
If you are ever caught in a rip current, don’t panic. Try to relax and swim parallel to the
beach. Don’t try to fight the current. If you have trouble swimming, tread water and
call for help.
Parents: Be sure always to watch your children closely when they are playing in and
around water.
Don’t climb on drift logs.
Logs on wet sand or in the water are especially dangerous. The ocean is strong enough
to pick up even the biggest log and drop it on top of you. If you see a log on wet sand,
stay off of it.
Be aware of incoming tides.
Tide pools can be so interesting that you might lose track of time. Make sure you know
when the tide is coming in so that you don’t get stranded. Free tide tables, available
at state park offices, information centers and many shops and motels, list the times of
high and low tides.
Be careful on cliffs and rocks.
Ocean spray and heavy rains can make rocks and trails slippery and unsafe. Stay on
marked trails and behind all fences. They are there for your safety. When hiking, make
sure you wear the right type of shoes. Stay away from cliff edges. Don’t stand under
overhanging cliffs, which can be dangerous.
Beware of sneaker waves.
Watch out for “sneaker waves.” These are waves that appear suddenly and are
unusually large. They rush up on the shore with enough force to knock you down and
drag you out to sea. Keep your eyes on the ocean.
Understand tsunamis.
There are two types of tsunami warnings that you need to be aware of:
a distant event and a local event.
With a distant event, you will be alerted by sirens located throughout the city.
Proceed by foot and follow the posted evacuation route signs to higher ground.
With a local event, you will feel a powerful earthquake. Take immediate cover until
the earthquake subsides, then go immediately to higher ground on foot, following
the posted evacuation routes.
24 | March 3, 2016 | coastweekend.com
Know who to call when you need help.
In an emergency, call 911.
• Providence Seaside Hospital
725 S. Wahanna Road, Seaside, OR 97138
503-717-7000
• Providence Medical Group-Seaside
with walk-in availability
727 S. Wahanna Road, Seaside, OR 97138
503-717-7060
• Providence Medical Group-Cannon Beach
with walk-in availability
171 N. Larch, Suite 16, Cannon Beach, OR 97110
503-717-7400
• Providence Medical Group-Warrenton
with walk-in availability
171 S. Highway 101, Warrenton, OR 97146
503-861-6500
For Providence Medical Group appointments
or to check walk-in availability, call the nearest
north coast clinic listed above.
Providence.org/northcoast