my father always said swim in the pool not in the ocean and if you do not deeper than waist high
I have same in oceans, ponds, lakes, rivers and pools my entire life.
And people have drown in oceans, ponds, lakes, rivers, and pools my entire life
If you cannot swim, at all, then shallow, still bodies of water pose the least risk, but if you know how to swim, and are aware of the unique risks and how to avoid or deal with them then you will be okay in most situations.
Rip currents are damned scary if you aren’t a strong swimmer and you don’t know what’s going on and/or panic. Imagine yourself standing on the shore of a raging rapidly moving river.. you would never jump in and decide that I’m going to swim upstream.. However people who find themselves in rip currents often do exactly that, not consciously jump into one knowingly, but when they realize they are being dragged very rapidly out away from shore attempt to swim against the current and rapidly tide and go under.
If you are the type of individual who tends toward panic when under stressful situations, no matter how strong a swimmer you are, you are likely going to make the wrong decision and wind up dead. (And this would be true of finding oneself in any high stress situation where the the wrong reaction could kill you.)
Good advice!