Understanding Rip Currents
Important Facts to Know about Rip Currents
Rip currents are one of the major causes of accidental drowning on beaches across the world including the UK.
These are strong currents of water running out to sea that can quickly take you from shallow water and out of your depth. They can be difficul to spot but can often be identfied by a channel of churning, choppy water and debris on the sea's surface.
It is important to remember these 3 facts when it comes to rip currents:
1) Calm water is not always the best place to swim
Swimmers often mistake calm water as a safe place to swim. This can often be where a rip is present. Ripples on the surface of the water will indicate a flow of water out to sea.
2) Rip currents do not pull you underwater
Rips take you away from the beach and will eventually back to the waves. Rip current related drowning is often due to panic and fatigue.
3) "Rip Tides" do not exist
People of refer to rip tides which suggest that the water level changes over a long period. Rip Currents move over a period of seconds, minutes and hours.
For further information on how to spot a rip current and what to do if you get caught in one, check out this Met Office link.
- 24th July 2024