According to Derrick Johns and his teenage daughter, Erynn, had it not been for a selfie stick, they probably would have drowned in a riptide at a Nantucket beach. Armed with a GoPro attached to a selfie stick, the two can be found below seen struggling in the water. Erynn said that had it not been for the selfie stick, they probably would’ve drowned under the surf. You can watch their entire experience, recorded below from ABC News:

Ridiculed my many when they were first introduced to the market, selfie sticks have rapidly become ingrained in our everyday lives – so much so, that everything from music festivals to even Apple are banning their use at events and venues. But, as we can see in the video, selfie sticks can do so much more than help you take selfies. If you need an alternative to selfie sticks, check out these options. (H/T Mashable)