Parks Canada says surf conditions in P.E.I. National Park Saturday are considered dangerous.
Visitors are advised not to enter the water in these conditions.
Rip currents are a hazard at P.E.I. beaches and form when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach.
One of the ways this water returns to sea is to form a rip current, a narrow stream of water moving swiftly away from shore.
The danger is when swimmers become trapped in the rapid current and are swept offshore.
Anyone caught in a rip current should stay calm, attract attention, and conserve energy by treading water.
If that doesn’t work, swim parallel to shore out of the current and toward the breaking waves.
Parks Canada’s video “Rip Currents –The Hidden Danger” advises beach visitors on how to identify the signs of a rip current:
