The Ocean is a happy place for so many of us, whether its for surfing , swimming, body boarding or simply just watching it.
To enjoy it and to keep safe there are some things we really need to know about the ocean and how to spot a rip is just one of them.
Rips can be very dangerous.
The safest spots for swimming have white, churning foam, whereas the dark, deceptively calm gaps indicate a rip current pulling water back out to sea.
5 Signs of a Rip Current
- Darker, Deeper Water: Rip channels are deeper than the surrounding sandbars, causing the water to look dark blue or green compared to the lighter blue shallows.
- Fewer Breaking Waves: Because the water is deeper, waves rarely break properly in a rip. The surface may appear surprisingly flat, smooth, or deceptively calm.
- Discolored or Sandy Water:Rips often carry churning clouds of sand, sediment, or murky water from the shallows out past the break zone.
- Floating Debris: If you see seaweed, foam, or debris moving steadily away from the shore and out to sea, it is caught in a seaward current.
- Rippled Surface: The current flowing outward can push against the incoming waves, creating a distinctly choppy or rippled texture surrounded by smoother
What to Do if Caught in a Rip
- Stay Calm: Do not panic or try to fight the current by swimming straight to shore. You will quickly exhaust yourself.
- Float or Swim Parallel: Float with the rip or swim parallel to the beach toward the breaking waves (the "white water"), which will help push you back toward the sandbar.
- Signal for Help: If you cannot escape, stay calm, raise your hand, and call or wave for assistance from lifeguards if there on duty, or anyone else in the water or on land.
The above is according to SLS NSW.
