Costa Rica has a high number of beach drownings for its size. That's due, in part, to the lack of lifeguards and vacationers letting their guard down at the beach, experts say. Here we provide tips for staying safe and a downloadable fact sheet on rip currents.
When a giant wave swamped my son, swimming at Playa Dominical, the lifeguards came running. But the main thing he was in danger of losing was his pants.
They sometimes have to borrow jet skis and paddle out on boards to make rescues because the government won't fund them, yet Tamarindo lifeguards are still saving lives and making a difference.
Costa Rica is known around the world for its picturesque beaches, but there are no laws that require lifeguards on its sandy shores, forcing local communities to scrape together the funds to train and employ their own. Without more resources for beach safety, experts say that preventable drowning deaths will continue.
Motivated by increased drownings that they perceived as preventable, a group of passionate people in this small, yet increasingly popular beach town have started their own nonprofit lifeguard program, Santa Teresa Lifeguards. They hope to not just save lives, but also to prevent dangerous situations by educating the public on water safety.
