THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 1, 1995 TAG: 9507010468
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KITTY HAWK LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
Chris Sobray's surfboard skills paid off for a swimmer and three would-be rescuers.
Sobray pulled to safety his friend Bryan Engstrom and three construction workers who were caught in a powerful riptide in the surf.
Engstrom, 19, of Williamsburg, Va., said he and a companion got caught in the surging waters about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
``We started screaming for help, and three guys from a construction crew came out and were trying to save Darren and me, but they got caught in the riptide, too.''
Rip currents are strong enough to pull even experienced swimmers away from shore.
Sobray, a 23-year-old senior at Radford University in Virginia, paddled to the rescue.
``Chris was surfing, and saw us,'' Engstrom said, ``He put the three construction workers on his board and got them in. Another surfer stayed there with me until Chris came back and got me out.''
Engstrom's companion, 20-year-old Darren Caprarese of Haymarket, Va., managed to make it back to the beach on his own. He said he was able to swim in the same direction as the current and get out of the dangerous waters.
``I told Bryan to swim up the coast, parallel to the current,'' Caprarese said. ``He was trying, but he kept getting pulled farther away. He was just too tired.''
Before Sobray rescued the four caught in the current, a member of the construction crew on shore drove a backhoe into the surf in an effort to save the struggling swimmers.
Sobray said he was not aware his friends were in trouble when he saw one of the three construction workers stuggling in the dangerous currents.
``I saw this guy and he had his hands up, and he was screaming, saying he was going to die and all that. They were really scared.
``They were fully clothed, and I know that didn't help them,'' said Sobray.
When he reached the swimmers, one of the three workers clung to Sobray's board.
``He grabbed on and wouldn't let go,'' said Sobray. ``When we were able to get the other two on the board, I tried to get them to calm down. But they were really scared.''
Another surfer came to Engstrom's aid until Sobray could return with his surfboard.
``I lived in Hawaii for a year, but I've never had anything like this happen,'' said Sobray.
``When I was out there, I thought I was going to die,'' Engstrom said. ``It's unbelievable. I never thought it would happen to me. People need to realize how bad it really is.''
Red flags prohibiting swimming on Atlantic beaches were out from Duck to Hatteras Island on Wednesday. Bob Gabriel of Lifeguard Beach Services said calm conditions early Thursday was the reason for the removal of the flags. However, as the day wore on, winds and waves picked up, leading to the deadly rip currents.
Gabriel said a number of swimmers in trouble were pulled from ocean waters Thursday. No one was seriously injured. Gabriel said surfers often lend a helping hand to those in trouble in the ocean.
``People are always going to try to help other people,'' Gabriel said.
Gabriel said many swimmers get into trouble in rip currents because they panic.
``You have to know what your limitations are. If you've never been swimming in the ocean or you're not sure of your abilities, don't go in.''
Gabriel compared swimming in heavy waves and currents to driving a car on an icy roadway.
``We have speed limits for roads that run from 45 to 65 miles an hour,'' he said. ``But if the road is icy, that doesn't mean it's wise to drive the speed limit. You have to use good judgment. The same is true when you go into the water.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
Chris Sobray, a 23-year-old senior at Radford University, left, used
his surfboard to save a friend and three construction workers who
were caught in a powerful riptide off the Outer Banks Thursday. A
number of swimmers in trouble were pulled from the ocean that day.
No one was seriously injured.
Graphics
RIP CURRENTS
IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
KEYWORDS: RESCUE RIPTIDES by CNB