Tybee Island Lifeguards: Done for the Season: Safety Advice

Today wrapped up beach season for Tybee Island Ocean Rescue lifeguards. This season was much busier than last year.

There were two drownings this year. One was before the season started and the second in the most dangerous part of the beach when lifeguards were off duty.

Officials say guards had more than 100 rescues this year. That's 25 % more than 2008. They had nearly double the number of assists, which means someone's in danger of drowning. There were more than 260 assists this year compared to 140 last year.

Then there were the dreaded jelly fish stings. A record number of stings were reported this year, more than 7,500. There were just more than 1,900 stings last year.

Ocean rescue officials say numbers were up because more people were staying close to home because of the economy.

Many will probably still be flocking to Tybee for a cheap get-away. That’s why we’re “on your side” with what you need to know because lifeguards are now off duty.

The whistle marks the last day of official warnings; water conditions flags and friendly reminders from Tybee Island Ocean Rescue lifeguards.

It's the end of what Captain Mike Taylor says was a successful season on a much bigger beach after last winter's renourishment project.

While the guards won't be patrolling the beach, they know people will still be visiting Tybee so they're asking you to be smart.

"Read the rules and regulations. Know the beach. Talk to people if the lifeguards aren't out here. If you see surfers, they have a pretty good understanding of how the beach is set up and where the trouble areas are,” advises Captain Mike Taylor of Tybee Island Ocean Rescue.

Also, educate yourselves on rip currents. Put simply they’re currents going back out to sea.

"Know that if you do get caught in that rip current that you want to swim parallel to the beach, you don't want to panic and then you can swim in once you get out of it,” explains Taylor.

The most dangerous part of the beach is at the south end of the island by the jetties at 18th Street. It's where both of the drownings occurred this year when lifeguards were off duty. There are sandbars, which are exposed at low tide. What happens when the tide goes out, people walk out to the sandbar and they can't get back in. The other problems is they get stuck in the channel of the Back River where the water goes in and out and it's extremely dangerous.

Ian and Laura Campbell, who are visiting from Atlanta, realize the dangers of the south end, but say they'd still go swimming without the lifeguards, but that they'd be smart about it.

"I'd probably read the signs around here and for instance keep off the jetties and the rocks and i'd probably avoid some of the more dangerous spots like that tree sitting out there but other than that, stay in the designated areas and behave yourself,” says Ian Campbell who’s visiting Tybee from Atlanta.

It’s what others need to do.

“If you don't know the water, I'm asking ya, I'm telling ya, stay out of the water. Don't go into the channel, don't go into the sandbar,” Taylor stresses.

It’s so you won't risk becoming a victim and you'll come back and enjoy the beach next summer.

This year lifeguards began working at the beginning of May. They'll be starting much earlier next season.

Captain Taylor says it's their goal to be out guarding the beach for high school and college spring breaks. He says more than likely puts them at the beach the week before St. Patrick's Day. Taylor says it'll add $10,000 to their operating cost but that's okay if it means keeping beach goers safe.