Rip currents: how to spot one and how to get out of one

Rip currents catch out good swimmers on good days. In the UK and Ireland, the RNLI says the majority of its lifeguard incidents involve rips. The advice for getting out of one is short, and most of it is about not doing what your instincts tell you to.

What a rip current is

A rip is a strong current running out to sea. The RNLI describes rips quickly dragging people and debris away from the shallows and out into deeper water. They tend to flow at 1 to 2 mph, but can reach 4 to 5 mph, which the RNLI points out is faster than an Olympic swimmer.

You'll often hear them called rip tides. The Met Office says that name is misleading: tides change the water level over 6 to 12 hours, while rips work over seconds, minutes and hours. Rips don't pull you under, either. They carry you away from the beach, often back out towards the breaking waves, and the Met Office puts rip-related drownings down to panic and fatigue.

Where rips form

The RNLI says rips are especially powerful in bigger surf, but warns never to underestimate the power of any water. They are also found around river mouths and estuaries, and next to man-made structures like piers and groynes. Swim England adds rocky outcrops, deep-water channels and harbour walls to the list of features that can cause eddies and rips.

In late September 2023, an RNLI lifeguard lead said that autumn brings the warmest water but also more swell, and that bigger, more consistent waves can make rips more frequent and more powerful. That's also when lifeguard patrols end on many beaches.

How to spot a rip

Rips can be difficult to spot, even for people who know the coast well. The signs the RNLI and the Met Office describe:

• a channel of churning, choppy water on the surface
• debris floating on the surface
• a calm-looking patch with no breaking waves, sometimes with ripples showing water flowing out to sea

That last one is the trap. The Met Office notes that plenty of people end up in a rip because they chose the calm patch with no white water as their way in. A quiet gap between breaking waves can be exactly where the water is heading out.

Don't be shy about asking. The RNLI says lifeguards will show you how to identify and avoid the rips at their beach.

The best way to avoid one

Choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red-and-yellow flags. The RNLI says lifeguards place those flags where it's safer to swim in that day's conditions, and staying between them means you're easier to spot if something goes wrong. If a red flag is flying, the RNLI's advice is not to enter the water under any circumstances. There's more on reading the beach in lifeguards, flags and designated swim areas.

Wild's beach pages show wave and marine forecasts alongside the tide times. Rips are at their most powerful in bigger surf, so check the wave forecast before you set off.

If you're caught in a rip

The RNLI's first piece of advice is the one to remember: "Don't try to swim against it or you'll get exhausted." After that, in the RNLI's order:

• If you have a board, stay with it. If you don't, Float to Live.
• If you can stand, wade rather than swim.
• If you can, wade or swim parallel to the shore until you're free of the rip, then head for shore.
• Raise your hand and shout for help.

Float to Live is the RNLI's way of floating to get your breath back. Tilt your head back so your ears are under the water. Relax and control your breathing. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat, and don't worry if your legs sink, because everyone floats differently. Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety. If the shock of it has taken your breath, panic in the water has more on getting it back.

If you see someone else caught

The RNLI's advice is to alert the lifeguards, or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. There's more on making that call, and what to tell them, in who to call if it goes wrong.

Rips are one part of the picture at the coast. The safe sea swimming guide covers tides, waves, getting in and out, and the rest of the questions to ask before a sea swim.

Sources

1. RNLI, Rip currents
2. Met Office, Understanding rip currents
3. RNLI, Float to Live
4. RNLI, Beach safety
5. RNLI, RNLI lifeguard patrols reduce on many south west beaches for the 2023 season
6. Swim England, How to deal with currents while swimming outdoors

This guide is general information, not a substitute for local knowledge or training. Conditions change: check them on the day, and if in doubt, don't go in. Images on the blog are illustrations, not pictures of specific spots.