Rip Currents By issy
Currents
Rip currents
What is the different between rip currents and currents • The rip currents only accrue on beaches but regular currents happen anywhere in the ocean when there is a gap in the sand bar • Rip currents will only drag you out about 200m
Facts about rip currents • Ocean currents are driven by wind, temperature changes, and tides • They look like the safest place to swim that’s why they are dangerous • in Australia in summer someone drowns in a rip every two to three days • It only takes a minute to drown when you are in a rip current • Only 3% of beaches are patrolled • They flow faster then people can swim even Olympic swimmers • Some rips can stay in the same place for days weeks and months • They are most likely to be dangerous during high surf conditions as the wave height and wave period increase.
How rip currents happen • As waves travel from deep to shallow water, they will break near the shoreline. When waves break strongly in some locations and weakly in others, this can cause circulation cells which are seen as rip currents: narrow, fast-moving belts of water traveling offshore.
How to get out of one • First you should not swim from left to right because you can get sucked back into the rip • If you are stuck in one look for the white water and swim towards that white water is the safe part it will bring you back to the beach that’s if you feel confident with your swimming • Put up your hand and wait for someone to help you
How to tell • People usually think that rip currents are calm coz there is no waves around them so they don’t think it is dangerous • If you look up from a birds eye view it looks like a mushroom but if you look from the beach it is very hard to tell • They don’t have white water around them and are in deeper spots
How to be safe
Safety first • Always swim between the red and yellow flags because the life savers put the flags away from the rips and currents and in the safest place • Make sure there are life guards on duty • If you are in danger put up your hand and wait for someone to come and get you • Do not PANIC!!!!! • Do not swim against the rip you will just find yourself going backward getting tired and then you will start to panic • So if there is no one on patrol don’t go in unless you are a good swimmer or you know where the rips are
And remember……….. • Slip • Slap •
• Slop
seek
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