Shore Break, Big Waves and Sandbars: Hidden Beach Hazards

Rip currents get the most attention, but waves themselves cause serious injuries and drownings too. The National Weather Service (NWS) says the main hazard of shore break, waves that break right onto a steep beach, is trauma injuries, notably neck injuries (opens in a new tab), so go in feet first, keep your hands in front of your head and never turn your back on the ocean.

This guide covers shore break, big surf, sandbars and drop-offs, how to keep young waders safe, and how to try bodyboarding or surfing without getting hurt.

Shore break and neck injuries

The NWS describes shorebreak as waves which quickly peak and break onshore to a relatively sharply sloping beach (opens in a new tab). The NWS explains that instead of breaking gradually as they find the bottom, these waves break quickly and steeply onshore, right where people stand and play.

What the NWS says about it:

• It can cause spinal injuries when people are thrown into the bottom head first (opens in a new tab), which can also lead to drowning.
• It can happen with waves that are not large enough to be considered "high surf" (opens in a new tab). Small-looking waves can still be dangerous, because it may not be obvious that the danger is there.
• The hazard typically increases as wave height increases.

The NWS also says that plunging waves can slam you into the ocean floor; surging waves can easily knock you over (opens in a new tab), and waves can run up the beach unexpectedly.

How to protect yourself:

• Feet first. The Red Cross says enter the water feet first for your safety (opens in a new tab) and never dive head first into surf (opens in a new tab). The NWS quotes the U.S. Lifesaving Association: serious, lifelong injuries, including paralysis, occur every year due to diving headfirst into unknown water (opens in a new tab) and striking the bottom.
• Hands in front. The NWS says it is extremely important to protect your head and neck whenever you are in breaking waves by keeping your hands in front of you at all times (opens in a new tab).
• Stand with care. The Red Cross says to be careful when standing to prevent being knocked over by currents or waves (opens in a new tab).
• Watch the waves, not your phone. The NWS says you must stay situationally aware at all times and never turn your back on the ocean (opens in a new tab).

High surf and storms far away

"High surf" is the NWS term for much larger than normal waves breaking in the surf zone (opens in a new tab), with enough energy to erode beaches, move large logs and wash over jetties or exposed rocks. The NWS says high surf can rush up quickly and well above the typical high tide waterline (opens in a new tab) and knock people into rough, churning water.

Big waves often come from storms you can't see. The NWS warns that hurricanes that are far away can still create deadly rip currents and waves (opens in a new tab).

Before you go:

• Check the NWS beach forecast (opens in a new tab) for surf height, rip current risk and any high surf warnings.
• The NWS says don't assume you know the beach conditions just because you regularly visit a certain beach (opens in a new tab).
• On high surf days, stay well back from the water's edge, and off jetties and rocks. See jetties and piers.

Sandbars, troughs and drop-offs

Many beaches have shallow sandbars running along the shore. The NWS says the best-known rip currents occupy deeper channels that interrupt shallow, mostly shore-parallel sandbars (opens in a new tab). See how to spot a rip current.

Two facts from the NWS rip current scientists help explain sudden "drop-offs":

• Sandbars don't collapse. The NWS says sandbars do not collapse (opens in a new tab). They shift slowly, over days to months, or over a few hours in a large storm.
• Bigger waves raise the water. When a group of larger waves arrives, it causes a small rise in water level, and waders can lose their footing. The NWS says this is often linked to a rip current pulse or increase in flow speed (opens in a new tab), and that during these pulses the speed of the flow can more than double.

So a sandbar that felt safe to stand on can suddenly be over your head. Walk out only as far as you're comfortable swimming back from.

Rules for wading children

Small children are at special risk in the shallows.

The NWS says the backwash of broken waves can be strong enough to knock people over, particularly small children and the elderly, and carry them into deeper water (opens in a new tab), especially on steep beaches.

House rules for little waders:

• An adult within arm's reach, even in ankle-deep water. The AAP calls this touch supervision (opens in a new tab) for infants, toddlers and weak swimmers.
• A Coast Guard-approved life jacket for young children and weak swimmers, even for wading. CDC says life jackets should be used by children for all activities while in and around natural water (opens in a new tab).
• Face the waves. Teach children to watch the water and never turn their backs on it.
• Sit and dig, don't stand and jump, on shore break days. Play farther up the beach, away from where waves crash.
• Out when the lifeguard says so, and out on any red flag.

Bodyboarding and beginner surfing

Riding waves is one of the joys of the ocean. It also puts you in the surf zone, where waves break hardest and rip currents run. A few rules keep it safe.

Pick a guarded beach and a beginner area. Lifeguards are the best source of information about beach conditions, and the NWS says your first choice should always be guarded beaches for any activity (opens in a new tab). Ask the lifeguard where boards are allowed and where the gentlest waves are.

Know the local rules. Some beaches separate surfers from swimmers. In New York City, Rockaway has the city's only legal surfing beaches (opens in a new tab), and NYC Parks says there are no lifeguards on duty at the surf beaches (opens in a new tab). Its surf rules also say to stay away from the jetty and never ditch or let go of your board.

Protect your head and neck. On every wave and every wipeout, keep your hands in front of your head, as the NWS advises. Never ride a wave straight into very shallow water or onto the sand.

Swimming ability first. A board can slip away from you. The NWS says you should be a strong swimmer before you go into the ocean (opens in a new tab), and that a pool is not the same as a surf beach. The Red Cross's five water competency skills (opens in a new tab), including floating or treading water for a minute and swimming 25 yards, are a good minimum. Check yours in water competency.

Take a lesson. A qualified instructor can teach you how to fall safely, read the waves and handle a rip current. Ask about instructor training and lifeguard coverage. We don't recommend specific schools.

Know rip currents. Read rip currents: how to spot one and how to escape before your first session.

What you can do today

1. Teach "feet first, hands in front" to everyone in your family, and practice it on your next beach day.
2. Check the NWS beach forecast (opens in a new tab) for surf height, not just the weather.
3. Set wading rules for little ones: arm's reach, life jacket, face the waves.
4. Plan board time for a guarded beach, and book a lesson if you're new.
5. Read our guide to teaching kids ocean safety for games and simple rules.