Headed to the coast? Take care. Not only should you think about the sunscreen and staying hydrated, but do you know what to do if you’re caught in a rip current?

It might be good information to have on hand.

There’s a high risk of rip currents near Corpus Christi Tuesday. Here’s more information and tips on how to get out of a rip current from the National Weather Service.

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
254 AM CDT TUE JUN 19 2012

...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY...

.MODERATE ONSHORE WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH 8 TO 9 SECOND SWELLS
TODAY AND A NEW MOOON TO RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

TXZ242>247-192300-
/O.NEW.KCRP.RP.S.0005.120619T1200Z-120619T2300Z/
KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN-
254 AM CDT TUE JUN 19 2012

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CORPUS CHRISTI HAS ISSUED A HIGH
RIP CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...THROUGH 6 PM TONIGHT...WITH THE GREATEST CONCERN
  BETWEEN 9 AM AND 4 PM.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
  BARRIER ISLAND BEACHES OF THE MID TEXAS COAST. THE RIP
  CURRENTS WILL BE MOST FREQUENT AND STRONGER NEAR THE VICINITY
  OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS JETTIES AND PIERS. BOTH THE STRENGTH AND
  FREQUENCY OF THESE RIP CURRENTS WILL RESULT IN SURF THAT IS
  DANGEROUS FOR ALL LEVELS OF SWIMMERS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE-
  THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE SURF.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...
JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH
PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.