FROM THE EDITOR 



Lessons for a Lifetime 



This summer, and for years to come, we hope that mil- 

 lions of coastal residents and beach visitors around the country 

 will remember that they can "Break the Grip of the Rip." 



If caught in a rip current, they should: 1 ) remain calm; 

 2) swim across the current to calmer waters; and 3) then swim 

 at an angle toward shore. 



That lesson has stuck with Howard Marks of Virginia 

 for nearly two decades. In 1985, he was caught in a rip current 

 while vacationing in Avon. But before he got into the water, he 

 had seen a rip current poster — and that quick read taught him 

 the lesson of a lifetime. 



North Carolina Sea Grant has a strong tradition of 

 partnering with beach communities to promote beach safety. 

 Spencer Rogers, our veteran coastal erosion specialist, recalls 

 that shortly after he joined Sea Grant in 1 978, he received a 

 copy of a rip current safety poster from Dennis Regan, then a 

 Sea Grant extension agent on the Outer Banks. 



The Outer Banks beach patrols are still state leaders in 

 ocean rescue — programs in Nags Head, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills 

 have earned U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA) advanced certification. 



Other North Carolina programs are now looking to earn USLA 

 certification, or in the case of Wrightsville Beach to move to advanced 

 certification. 



Our first Sea Grant poster has been updated over the years, and new 

 products added. A video was developed in 1998 — an effort initiated by 

 Dare County officials in partnership with Sea Grant and the National Parks 

 Service. The video still is shown in water safety classes and on many cable 

 access channels. 



In more recent years, a Bogue Banks physician suggested a brochure 



RIP CURRENTS! 



BREAK THE 

 GRIP OF THE 



RIP 



that he could share with his patients — and more than 50,000 

 have been distributed around the country. Topsail Island rescue 

 officials requested a metal sign that would be more permanent 

 than a poster — and now nearly 800 signs dot beach access 

 points along our coast and three other states. 



These North Carolina products were among the models 

 considered by the national task force that convened last 

 summer. In May, folks from around the country gathered in 

 Wrightsville Beach to unveil the fruit of our labor. 



The new national sign, brochure, Web site and public ser- 

 vice announcement bring a consistent message — from North 

 Carolina to Southern California, from Florida's Panhandle to 

 the Great Lakes. 



The event marked a successful national partnership 

 — one in which multiple agencies had to agree on phrasing 

 and coordinate funding. 



The event also highlighted the local partnerships that focus 

 on beach safety. For the campaign launching, we had tremen- 

 dous support from UNC-TV, Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, Time Warner 

 Cable, the Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Avery 

 Roberts and the Board of Aldermen, as well as the Wrightsville Beach Fire 

 and Police Departments. Reid Hardy, past president of the chamber, served 

 as our master of ceremonies for the event broadcast via satellite. 



Their efforts — and more too numerous to name — are already pay- 

 ing off. A NOAA survey revealed 123 television news stories around the 

 country focused on the campaign, reaching more than 15 million viewers. 



And in the words of Reid Hardy: "If we save one life, it will be 

 enough." 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



T H 



ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Ann Green ° Lilly Loughner a Katie Mosher H Tasha Petty 

 Ryan Reynolds ° Pam Smith ° Joyce Taylor 



Contributing Photographers: 

 JohnAlthouse ° Dave Baker a DaveBeresoff ° Joanne Harcke 

 Elizabeth LaPorte ° Julia LeDoux ° Elaine Logothetis 

 Katie Mosher Tasha Petty ° Pam Smith ° Scott Taylor 



North Carolina's diverse coast offers coundess interestingsubjects. 

 The large dots on the locator map indicate story settings in this issue — 

 includingManteoJacksonville and Wilmington. 



