FROM THE EDITOR 



Signs of Summer 



F^r some folks, a summer beach excursion 

 may be a simple day trip squeezed into a hectic 

 schedule. For others, it may be a Fourth of July 

 family reunion for 40 that takes a year or more to plan. 



While year-round schools and Carolina 

 sunshine extend the "official" beach season, 

 Memorial Day still marks the start of summer fun 

 for most of us. This year, North Carolina Sea Grant 

 marked the holiday weekend with programs in Dare 

 County and on Topsail Island to thank the National 

 Weather Service and beach communities for 

 supporting our rip current safety campaign — and 

 to remind swimmers and waders of the tremendous 

 power of the Atlantic Ocean. 



The newest safety efforts include permanent 

 signs — each containing diagrams, telltale warning 

 signs and a simple refrain: If caught in a rip current, don't panic. 

 Swim parallel to shore. 



And the weather service unveiled its new online "portal" for rip 

 current information: www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov. Residents and 

 tourists can request online forecasts for rip current risks along the 

 North Carolina coast and in other locations of the country. 



Even though I had made many phone calls and sent a slew of e- 

 mails about the new rip current signs — and I knew that 500 had 

 been posted all along our coastline, and more signs were on order — 

 there was a sense of excitement on that trip to the coast. As we drove 

 down Topsail Island, I couldn't help but point out the new signs at 

 public access points and other crossovers. 



Soon, Spencer Rogers, our North Carolina Sea Grant coastal 



erosion specialist, not only was explaining how rip 

 currents form, but also giving a bit of history of the 

 safety campaign. He cited an initial poster effort in 

 the 1980s that resulted in a "Thank You" letter 

 from someone who had seen a poster at an Outer 

 Banks beach cottage. Later, the letter writer got 

 caught in a rip current — and knew what to do. 



We don't know how many people have had to 

 put our rip current lessons into action over the 

 years. Nor do we know exactly how many will 

 notice the new signs in their hustle to get to the 

 beach itself. But our hope is that folks will notice 

 — and remember. 



We do know that within a week of our 

 Memorial Day weekend event, weather and surf 

 conditions resulted in forecasts for dangerous 

 conditions — and numerous rip current rescues. The local media 

 knew to call upon Spencer to explain the science behind rip currents 

 and to offer important safety tips for the public. 



It's a message that Spencer never tires of sharing — for he still 

 remembers that one letter years ago. 



Have you seen the new rip current signs along the North 

 Carolina coast? Did you learn to look for and avoid rip currents — 

 and to respond if you were caught in a rip current? Or, did the signs 

 offer a science lesson for youngsters? 



If you would like to share a story about rip currents, send an 

 e-mail to me at katie_mosher@ncsu.edu or to Spencer Rogers at 

 rogerssp@uncwil.edu. Or, you can write a note to North Carolina 

 Sea Grant, NCSU Box 8605, Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Ann Green D Cynthia Henderson D Robin Sutton 

 Katie Mosher ° Pam Smith 



Contributing Photographers: 

 Chris Crumley D Michael Halminski Q Herman Lankford 

 Lundie Spence Ken Taylor D Scott D. Taylor 



North Carolina's diverse coast offers countless interesting subjects. The large dots on 

 the locator map indicate story settings in this issue — from northeastern county of 

 Currituck to Wayne, Wilmington and Columbus counties in the southeast. 



