DEAR ABBY: After reading the letter from "Eleanor M.," whose husband was caught in a riptide, I wanted to offer an important safety tip for ocean swimmers.
Riptides are normally only 15 to 20 feet wide, so if you find yourself caught in one, you should immediately swim PARALLEL to the beach instead of trying to swim directly to shore. This should allow you to swim out of the riptide and make it safely to the shore.
Lifeguards here in Southern California try to point out riptides to swimmers so they can avoid the area -- but common sense is your best lifesaving tool. Know your abilities and limits in the water before you start swimming. -- THERESA R., ESCONDIDO, CALIF.
DEAR THERESA: Those are practical, intelligent suggestions. With beach season here, I hope they are taken to heart. Swimmers can exhaust themselves trying to escape a riptide. Your letter could be a lifesaver.