tips - WKTV Journal

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It is finally nice in West Michigan, which means lots of beach time, but as the recent scare this week at Grand Haven beach reminded many knowing how to handle a rip current is key to water safety.

Grand Haven State Park does not have lifeguards but does utilize a flag system to let beachgoers know conditions.

Under a new land use order that allows the Department of Natural Resources shutdown the Grand Haven State Park on Tuesday, June 21, after water conditions prompted several rescues. Under the new order, the DNR can prevent or fine a person who enters waters under their jurisdiction when certain conditions are present such as harmful bacteria, dangerous weather conditions or rough waves, as was such the case on June 21.

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there has been 46 possible great lakes drownings so far in 2022, of which 19 have been in Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is considered the deadliest lake of all the Great Lakes and one of the deadliest lakes in the United States due to the number of drownings.

One of the leading causes of those drownings are rip currents, channelized currents of water flowing away form shore at surf beaches.

To help raise awareness about rip currents, WKTV will be again airing the special “Respect the Power,” on June 28 at 9:30 a.m. and June 30 at 5 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25.

If caught in a rip current, relax and don’t swim against the current. Rip currents do not pull people under the water.

The video was produced by the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Force and was created in memory of Andrew Burton Fox and Daniel Reiss, both who were swept off the Grand Haven pier and drowned in Lake Michigan.

According to Grand Haven officials, rip currents and powerful breaking waves are common in the area of the pier. But education, including recognizing what a riptide looks like and what to do if you are caught in one, can increase the chances of a happy outcome.

From the “Respect the Power” website, it states that the Great Lakes are better understood as inland seas rather than lakes. Storms, not the lakes, can easily generate waves up to 30 feet in the most sever weather. However, even smaller waves can be dangerous.

When waves break, water is pushed up the slope of the shore. Gravity pulls this water back toward the lake. When the water converges in a narrow, river-like current moving away from the shore, it forms what is know as a rip current. Rip currents can be 50 feet to 50 yards or more wide. They can flow to a point just past the breaking waves or hundreds of yards offshore. You can sometimes identify a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current may be dirty from the sand being turned up by the current. The water may be colder than the surrounding water. Waves usually do not break as readily in a rip current as in adjacent water.

Moving at one to two feet a second, sometimes up to eight feet which is faster than any Olympic swimmer, a rip current can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from the shore.

According to both the “Respect the Power” and the National Weather Service websites, if caught in a rip current, try to relax. A rip current is not an “undertow” and will not pull you under. Do not try to swim against the current as this is very difficult, even for an experience swimmer. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim directly toward shore. If you are tired, tread water and float and call and wave for assistance. The current will carry you to the end or head of the current, where once rested you can swim back to shore.

Some other water safety tips:

1. Learn to swim.

2. Check with a lifeguard or with the park’s current conditions board before entering water.

3. Never swim alone.

4. Never dive headfirst into unknown waters or shallow breaking waves.

5. Piers are navigational structures and not designed as walkways, proceed at your own risk.

6. Do not jump or dive off pier structures.

7. Avoid piers when waves begin to spill over the pier surface.

8. To avoid rip currents, avoid swimming in areas that are discolored with sand and has a choppy or foamy surface.

9. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore (about 30-50 yards) to get out of the rip current before swimming to shore.

10. Protect yourself from the sun. Use sun screen.

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

With everything going on in the economy and the world today, it’s hard to know what price you’ll see the next time you pull up to the gas pump.

While drivers can’t make the price of gas go down, they can take several steps to make each tank last longer.

Removing excess cargo in a car will help with making your gas last longer. (pxhere.com)

The U.S. Department of Energy has several tips online at fueleconomy.gov to help drivers stretch their gas dollars:

Slow down. Each 5 mph driven over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.30 per gallon for gas, according to the site.
Don’t drive aggressively. If you’re speeding and rapidly accelerating and braking, you’re lowering your gas mileage by 15% to 30% on the highway and 10% to 40% in the city.
Get excess weight out of your car. If you’re carrying an extra 100 pounds of unneeded stuff in your trunk or your back seat, you could be lowering your gas mileage by 1%. Carrying cargo on your roof is also a sure way to lower your mileage. Remove cartop cargo boxes when they’re not in use – at highway speeds, they could reduce your gas mileage by 10% to 25%.
Turn the car off when you’re idling. It takes much less gas to restart your car than to leave it idling, which can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour.

Buying gas on days when it’s a few cents cheaper per gallon is another way to save.

According to GasBuddy, an app that provides real-time gas price information, Mondays and Fridays are the most economical days to buy gas in Michigan, followed by Sundays.

Thursday is the worst day to fill up in Michigan, followed closely by Wednesday.

In years past, Friday was one of the most expensive days. But that hasn’t been the case since 2021, according to GasBuddy analysts, who said the pandemic may have shifted people’s buying habits, affecting supply.

Oil and filter changes are key in helping your car maintain good gas mileage. (pxhere.com)

Regardless of which day you’re buying gas, it pays to check around for the best price.

The GasBuddy app and the AAA Mobile App both offer drivers a way to search for the best price in their vicinity.
According to AAA, some gas stations offer discounts for paying cash instead of using a credit card.
Enroll in gas station savings programs. If you like to visit the same station instead of shopping around for the best deal, enrolling in a savings program at one of the major gasoline providers can save you anywhere from 2 cents to 5 cents per gallon. The Penny Hoarder offers a rundown at https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/save-money/fuel-rewards-programs/

Keeping your car in optimal running condition can also increase your mileage. Autozone offered several tips in a recent news release to increase gas mileage by taking good care of your car.

Change your oil filter. A dirty oil filter makes the engine work harder, reducing power and fuel efficiency.
Keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure. You can improve your fuel economy immediately by up to 3.3% just by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure, according to Autozone. The correct pressure can be found in your car’s manual or on a sticker inside the driver’s side door jam.
If you’re due for an oil change, get it done. Oil changes prevent oil breakdown and the buildup of sludge over time. Some types of oil are designed to improve engine efficiency. Ask for an oil marked “Energy Conserving.”