Sea SafetyWhat to do
Rip Currents Explained
Rips look deceptively calm and can outpace an Olympic swimmer; knowing the few steps that work can turn panic into a safe way back to the beach.
If you are caught in a rip current, do not try to swim against it: wade if you can stand, float if you cannot, raise a hand and shout for help, and swim parallel to the shore until you are free. Rips are strong currents running out to sea, and they can quickly drag people and debris away from the shallows of the shoreline and out to deeper water.
What a rip is and how to spot one
According to the RNLI, rips usually flow at 1–2 mph but can reach 4–5 mph, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer. They are especially powerful in larger surf, and they are also found around river mouths, estuaries and man-made structures such as piers and groynes. The RNLI says the majority of its lifeguard incidents in the UK and Ireland involve rip currents, and even the most experienced beachgoers can be caught out.
Rip currents can be difficult to spot. HM Coastguard says they can look deceptively calm, with no wave activity, or can appear a different colour or rippled, standing out from the general pattern of the waves. The RNLI adds that a rip is sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface. If you are unsure, ask the lifeguards: they can show you where the rips are on that beach.
What to do if caught
If you do find yourself in a rip current, the RNLI and HM Coastguard give the same advice:
- Don't try to swim against it, or you will get exhausted.
- If you can stand, wade, don't swim.
- If you have a board, stay with it; if you don't, Float to Live: tilt your head back with your ears submerged and relax until your breathing is under control.
- Always raise your hand and shout for help.
- When you can, wade or swim parallel to the shore until you are free of the rip, then head for shore.
How to help without going in
If you see someone else caught in a rip, alert the lifeguards if they are on duty or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. Do not go into the water after them, as you could end up in serious difficulty yourself. The RNLI's advice for bystanders is to tell the person to float and, if you can, throw them something that floats.
The best way to avoid rips is to choose a lifeguarded beach and always swim between the red and yellow flags. Lifeguards place those flags where it is safer to swim in the day's conditions, and swimming between them also means you are spotted more easily if something goes wrong. Stay out of the black and white chequered zone, which is for surfboards and other craft, and never enter the water when the red flag is flying.
