Dr. Rip On The Science Of The Surf
Dr Rip, aka Rob Brander, is a coastal geomorphologist and surf safety educator at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Author of the best-selling Dr Rip’s Essential Beach Book, he explains in easy-to-understand layman’s terms everything swimmers need to know about surf, sand and rip currents. His award-winning videos can be found on Science of the Surf.
He explains, “They are not an undertow. They will not pull you under because there is no such thing as an undertow. They are not rip tides because they are not a tide. They are a current because they flow pretty steady.”
Because rip currents are strong, narrow, natural flow of water that take the water from the shoreline to offshore, they are great for experienced open water swimmers to utilize as they head out to sea or to the first buoy.
Because the rip currents take the water piling up near the shore back out to sea, they are also something for everyone to avoid coming back into shore. Experienced eyes (see below) will spot rips, both for their advantage going out and to their disadvantage coming back in:
Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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