Violent waves crashed the shore March 27 as U.S. park ranger Andrew Robinson dove into the cold Gulf of Mexico at Opal Beach to save two distressed swimmers about 100 yards out.
A 25-year-old male and a 19-year-old female, both Navy cadets, got caught in a rip current that pushed them out into the rough waters past the breaking point that Saturday afternoon. Robinson scanned the water after being alerted by a beachgoer and noticed them struggling to stay afloat. He immediately took action.
