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Five swimmers saved from rip current in one hour in Clearwater

 
Rip Tide warning signs are in view as spring break vacationers enter Sand Key Park in Clearwater. [Times files]
Rip Tide warning signs are in view as spring break vacationers enter Sand Key Park in Clearwater. [Times files]
Published July 24, 2018

On Monday evening, a father and his son were swimming off Clearwater Beach near the 700 block of El Dorado Ave. and got trapped in a dangerous rip current dragging them from shore.

After a nearby resident called 911, Clearwater firefighter Scott McGrail responded, paddling to the two on a surfboard and helping them to shore.

Just 45 minutes later, McGrail paddled back out, this time near Pier 60, to help three more swimmers dragged from shore due to a dangerous rip current. This time someone on a nearby hotel balcony had heard the calls of distress and phoned Fire Rescue, according to Rob Shaw, a spokesman for the City of Clearwater.

"That firefighter was especially busy that evening," Shaw said.

"In each case the swimmers were struggling in the water as the rip currents were keeping them from returning to shore," Shaw continued. "For the last few days we've had especially high rip currents and warnings have been out through today. It isn't a great day to swim by yourself away from our lifeguard towers."

Pinellas County has not reported any more incidents involving riptides. But beachgoers were advised to be cautious as the National Weather Service continued its high riptide risk advisory through Tuesday night.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says if caught in a riptide, people should float and swim out of the rip, parallel to the shore along the beach. They also advise to not swim back to shore against the riptide current as it will just tire you out.