David Witkin, chief executive officer of Beryl Capital Management, a merger arbitrage hedge fund in California, is also a member of the board of the Redondo Beach Unified School District. Outside of his professional pursuits, David Witkin enjoys ocean swimming. The unpredictable nature of ocean waters requires swimmers to take additional precautions, as outlined below:
1. Understand hazards. Ocean waters move according to a complex series of systems that expose swimmers to a number of natural dangers, the number of which can increase the further swimmers are from shore. Hazards to understand include rip currents, shore breaks, and inshore holes. In addition, swimmers must pay close attention to waves and other sizes, as studies indicate that waves may result in injuries ranging from sprains and broken collarbones to dislocated shoulders and organ trauma.
2. Check the weather. Storms introduce a whole new series of hazards to ocean swimming, from harsh winds and rough waves to freezing rains and lightning. Avoid ocean waters during storms and check weather forecasts before swimming.
3. Stick to lifeguard-protected beaches. Even the best swimmers can misread ocean currents or encounter unexpected hazards. Consider restricting your ocean swimming to lifeguard-protected beaches and only swimming during daylight hours when lifeguards are present.
4. Familiarize yourself with warning flags. Public beaches are marked with a series of different colored flags, which serve as warning symbols and indications of particular hazards. However, the meanings of different flag colors may vary from state to state, or even beach to beach. Learn the meaning of different flag colors at beaches you frequent and look up meanings of new ones.
5. Respect aquatic life. Respect marine life and keep your distance from any species of aquatic creature you encounter, including dolphins, sharks, and other marine mammals. Jellyfish, in particular, can pose considerable harm, and sharks may mistake swimmers for prey, although attacks in the US are rare.
