WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Hurricane Ernesto may be hundreds of miles away, but we’re still feeling the storm’s impact on our coast.

Hurricane Ernesto is causing dangerous water conditions across all beaches in southeastern North Carolina. Red flags will be up, which means there is a high risk of rip currents and people should not enter the water.

However, for people who choose to enter the water on a red flag day, officials say always have a personal floatation device and swim near a lifeguard stand or with a partner.

If you get caught in a rip current, the most important thing to do is stay calm. Officials say rip currents won’t pull you miles out to sea. They’ll pull you out a little then break open, which is when you can swim parallel to the shore.

Sam Proffitt, Ocean Rescue captain at Wrightsville Beach, says if you see someone caught in a current do not hesitate to reach out for professional help.

“If you happen to see someone caught in the rip, the first thing you should always do is either try to flag down a lifeguard or call 911. Under no circumstances should you enter the water to try to rescue a victim unless you have some form of flotation with you,” said Proffitt.

Proffitt says even when flags are green, the risk of rip currents is always there. Officials say it’s really on those lower-risk days that they see the most rescues.

“It can be very dangerous out here. A majority of the drownings we have in most coastal communities occur on green and yellow flag days, days when it’s inherently calm out. So again that just kinda emphasizes the point that rip currents can occur at any time,” said Proffitt.

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