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Think Waves and the Willis Brothers are revolutionizing rip current safety by actively promoting the surfers way of approaching the ocean’s natural rhythm and flow. Milton and Michael Willis, founders of the Think Waves lifesaving organization, have transformed rip current safety by challenging traditional advice and promoting a time proven, surfer-informed approach. It’s important to note the general public, swimmers and beach goers with no experience can and do greatly benefit by learning and practicing the surfers way to handle rip currents.
With beach use increasing it is imperative everyone is informed how to effectively avoid and or escape rip currents using waves the Surfers Way. Waves don’t discriminate against swimmers and surfers… what works for surfers is proven to work for everybody.
Key Innovations
• Surfers’ Perspective: The Willis brothers leverage their experience as big wave surfers and lifesavers to teach the public how experienced surfers mentally and physically approach rip current safety, emphasizing calmness and strategic use of waves rather than panic or fear. “Rip currents aren’t dangerous panic and fear are dangerous.”
• The “Surfers Way” / “Willis Way”: Instead of the traditional advice to swim parallel to shore, they advocate moving toward incoming waves, which naturally push swimmers back to safety. Their motto is “Rips out, Waves in”—use the energy of waves to escape, not fight the current. With out assistance from a helicopter or jet ski, using waves is the only way a swimmer can escape from rip currents.
• Education and Advocacy: Through workshops, public campaigns, beach clinics and educational materials, they are continuously working to update national and international safety protocols, collaborating with organizations like the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) and NOAA. The Willis Brothers Surfers Way method has influenced pictograph safety signage and updated protocols internationally.
• Community Outreach: Think Waves funds its mission through environmentally sustainable merchandise and generous donations from the community, supporting educational campaigns, ocean clinics and public outreach to reduce drownings worldwide.
• Challenging Misinformation: The Willis brothers actively work to dispel myths about rip currents dangers, such as the belief that they pull swimmers under or far out to sea, and instead teach that rip currents can be avoided easily and managed safely with the right knowledge and approach.
Impact
Their approach is credited with saving lives and influencing modern rip current safety protocols, making ocean safety more accessible and practical for the general public, surfing enthusiasts and lifeguards alike.
“Once in the waves, which always move into shore, one is safely out of a rip. That’s what should be taught: swim towards the waves.” — Milton Willis big wave world champion and awarded lifesaver.
Summary Table: Willis Brothers’ Rip Current Safety Approach vs. Traditional Advice
Traditional Approach:
Avoid Rip Currents: No official policy
Escape Rip Current: Swim parallel to shore
A Study by Oceanographer Dr. Jaime MacMahan concluded the traditional swim parallel method to be dangerous advocating its safer to simply just float.
Dr. MacMahan readily acknowledges that not all rips take swimmers back to shore, but still advises a “float first” approach.
What Dr. MacMahan doesn’t completely understand is rip currents don’t take swimmers back to shore…. waves do.
Rationale: Break the grip of the rip (criticized for being spooky)
Key message: Don’t fight the current
Educational Focus: General Public and lifeguards
Clearing up Rip Current Misinformation: Rarely addressed
Willis Brothers’ “Surfers Way” Approach:
Avoid Rip Currents: Wade or swim directly in front of waves
Escape Rip Currents: Go with the current and swim towards incoming waves.
Rationale: Everyone can use wave energy to return effortlessly back to shore.
Key Message: “Rips Out, Waves In”
Educational Focus: General Public, Lifeguards and Surfers in general.
Clearing Up Rip Current Misinformation : Actively dispels rip current misinformation by promoting accurate, time proven, effective information.
Of great importance is the Surfers Way officially recognizes Swimming DIAGONAL is superior to swimming parallel to escape rip currents.
The Willis brothers and Think Waves have and are shifting the paradigm in ocean safety, making rip current safety skills more intuitive and effective for the general public.
Lifeguard Captain Mike Hutchinson “The Surfers Way is the number one intuitive self-rescue technique in the world. I’m other words you can rescue yourself using waves. This is important information for the community as a whole.
Public Reception of the “Surfers Way” Approach:
The “Surfers Way” approach—advocating that swimmers caught in rip currents should swim toward incoming waves rather than parallel to shore—has received mixed reviews from officials, but is increasingly gaining positive response from the general public and professional ocean safety community.
• General Public: Many beachgoers are receptive to the common-sense logic of using waves to return to shore, especially when explained by experienced surfers like the Willis brothers. The approach is seen as intuitive and empowering, providing a clear easy to understand (for any age) action plan in a stressful situation.
• Lifeguards and Officials: While many lifeguards in Hawaii and California acknowledge the validity of the “Surfers Way,” they caution that it may not be suitable in every situation due to constantly changing ocean conditions. Lifesaving professionals emphasize the need to assess each rip current scenario individually. However, Surfers have successfully managed rip currents worldwide for 100’s of years, way before official lifesaving professionals ever existed, using the natural rhythm and flow of the ocean. Rips go out and waves come in, everywhere in the world it’s the same, you can count on this.
• Ocean Safety Community: There is ongoing debate among experts, with some organizations still adhering to traditional advice (swimming parallel to shore), while others recognize the importance and value of the Willis brothers’ Surfers Way method, especially for those comfortable in surf conditions.
Overall, the “Surfers Way” is gaining traction as a superior strategy to handle rip currents, with growing support from both the public and growing segments of the lifesaving community, though it has not fully replaced traditional rip current safety protocols yet.
Experienced surfers and lifeguards, especially those in Hawaii understand, employ and support the “Surfers Way” approach of escaping rip currents by swimming toward incoming waves rather than parallel to shore. This method aligns closely with how experienced surfers naturally handle rip currents. Surfers in the know take rip currents out to easily reach the waves and ride wave energy in to return to safety to the shore. Waves go out, Rips come in, it’s a constant because it’s the natural rhythm and flow of the ocean.
Many surfers worldwide believe that the standard advice to swim parallel can be dangerous, confusing and is outdated especially for swimmers under stress.
For example, how is the average swimmer supposed to know which way to go, up or down the beach? How far does one have to swim sideways to “break the grip of the rip”? In fact it is possible to swim from one rip current into another rip current further up or down the beach.
Both surfers and lifeguards acknowledge that every rip current situation is unique and requires common sense and adaptability. However experienced surfers understand the only way back to shore is with the waves. In Hawaii they say “Blue out, White in referring to the deep blue water going out and the white water from breaking waves coming in. There is no simpler way avoid or escape rips than using wave energy.
Overall, the “Surfers Way” to escape rip currents is respected among experienced surfers and seasoned lifeguards as an essential, time proven method for all beach goers to escape rip currents proven by experienced surfers and informed watermen internationally for decades.
It’s paramount rip current safety the Surfers Way becomes common knowledge for the entire beach going community. You don’t have to be an expert surfer to benefit from the surfers way of surviving rip currents. By sharing this valuable lifesaving information you can help reduce ocean rescues and prevent needless drownings.
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