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 up in need of rescue? The simple answer is awareness and education.

Rip current dye experiment (Photo: Rob Brander [www.scienceofthesurf.com])
Rip currents are not always the easiest to spot, and in fact, the unwary beach user will typically select the seemingly calm water of a rip channel for their recreation. The water appears calm because it is deeper and therefore there is no wave breaking. Inevitably, at certain stages of the tide, this rip channel becomes active, flushing water from the inner surfzone out beyond the breakers, along with anyone caught in it. A study of victim demographics in the UK by Woodward et al., (2013) shows the majority of rip incidents to be as a result of bodyboarding, with lifeguards recording a narrative of ‘inexperience’ against 32% of all bodyboard rescues. The major victim demographic involved in rip incidents are teenagers, which again is indicative of inexperience as a major factor.
Rip currents are horizontal currents; they will not pull you under the surface. Armed with this knowledge, the best advice in a rip current is to stay calm. You won’t get dragged under. You may well re-circulate towards the shore. In any case, tread water and search laterally for an exit to the rip. Ultimately, if you can stay afloat then the rip is very unlikely to cause you trouble. If you are on a beach patrolled by lifeguards, raise your hand to attract attention. Finally, remember that Composure will Combat the Current.
References:
Brander, R., Dominey-Howes, D., Champion, C., Del Vecchio, O., and Brighton, B., 2013. Brief communication: a new perspective on the Australian rip current hazard. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 13: 1687-1690.
RNLI, 2012. RNLI Operational Statistics Report 2012. Poole, Dorset, UK.
Scott, T.M., Russell, P.E., Masselink, G., and Wooler, A., 2008. High volume sediment transport and its implications for recreational beach risk. Proceedings of the 31stInternational Conference on Coastal Engineering, Hamburg, Germany.
Woodward, E., Beaumont, E., Russell, P., Wooler, A., and Macleod, R., 2013. Analysis of rip current incidents and victim demographics in the UK. Proceedings of the 12thInternational Coastal Symposium, Plymouth, England.