Rip currents are powerful, fast-moving areas of water that can sweep swimmers away from the shore. Watch this video from Surf Life Saving and the University of New South Wales (Australia) on how to identify rip currents.
Source: Rip Current Identification | Surf Life Saving | YouTube
Hi. Today we're going to talk about how to spot a rip current. Now all beaches are different, and not all beaces have rips. And even rip currents can look different, but there are certain things people look for that can help help you spot them. One common characteristic of rip currents is that they often look like these dark gaps between areas of whitewater or breaking waves. So look at the water for five to ten minutes for these dark clear gaps going through the surf. Rips also move water pretty fast they can move things like sand, like seaweed, like jellyfish, so you look for moving objects. And rips also take water one way, or as waves bring it back, and that makes the water surface look a little bit different - a little bit bumpy at times. So those are the three things to look for. If you're not sure how to spot a rip best thing to do is always swim between the red yellow flags - put your setup away from rip currents.