Rip currents are REALI have been through a lot of trauma but I can't recall fear like that for myself.....
I've for sure felt fear for others.
We were on the beach one time and my son was small....like 4 or 5 and were playing with the waves...
I barely saw it happen in my peripheral..but next thing I know he gets sucked into a ripcurrent.
He was standing and then the ocean just snatched him up and pull him out at an incredible rate of speed.
My heart dropped and my stomach flipped.
I was probably 20 feet or so away from him.
At that point there was 0 thought and instinct kicked in immediately.
I just darted as fast I could and dove right into the crashing waves.
I couldn't see anything.... couldn't find him....
I'm struggling myself not 2 drown.
It felt like an eternity.
By the grace of god I I felt one of his legs and grabbed it and pulled him into me.
As soon as I had him we surfaced and got beat up by some waves but made it out.
I got him on shore and he spit up a lot of water and started to cry.....I just held him tight and he was ok.
Felt true fear that day.
one thing you gotta respect is that mf ocean