A worrying new study has highlighted that up to 78% of beachgoers in Aotearoa New Zealand are unable to spot rip currents (rips) in the surf, increasing the risk that they may inadvertently end up caught in one. On average, five people fatally drown in rip currents on our beaches each year and a further…
Beaches form one of the British holidaymaker’s favourite destinations. Kids often ask to spend their days paddling, building sandcastles, and eating ice cream. They are also an extremely dangerous place if you don’t know (or don’t understand) the hazards. The RNLI is the UK body responsible for the provision of lifeguarding services on beaches, and…
Here follows a press release for our recent paper on wave breaking patterns and the link to rip current risk. Research by the Universities of Southampton and Plymouth has found a new link between breaking waves and the hazard posed by rip currents. The research provides a better understanding why some surf zone conditions…
Rip currents are a dangerous coastal hazard. A simple statement that most casual beach users would tend to agree with. Why, then, are so many of those same people ignorant of the risks posed by rip current currents? Why do many beach users, excepting perhaps experienced surfers, fail to spot the dangers and still end…