Rip Currents
At Indorider we take safety seriously. Rip currents are the major cause of drowning on beaches worldwide. There is a lack of understanding of what a Rip Currents is and where their dangers lie.
A rip current is a strong, narrow flow of water moving from the shore back out to sea.
Here’s how it works:
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Waves push water toward the shore — Every wave that breaks; brings water with it.
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That water needs to flow back out — Instead of spreading evenly, it often finds a low spot in a sandbar or a gap near a pier where it can rush back to deeper water more easily.
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The return flow concentrates — This creates a channel of fast-moving water that flows seaward through the breaking waves.
Key points:
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Speed: Rip currents can move at 1–2 meters per second (faster than most Olympic swimmers).
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Shape: They’re usually narrow (10–30 meters wide) but can extend hundreds of meters offshore.
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Danger: They don’t pull you under — they pull you away from shore, which can cause panic and exhaustion if you try to swim directly against them.
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Escape method: Swim parallel to the beach until you’re out of the current, then head back to shore at an angle.
How to spot them
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Calm water: If you see a flat, calmer area of water in between two areas of waves, that is likely a rip current
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Inviting. Rip currents often look like the easiest place to swim because they usually have fewer or no waves. Don’t be fooled. Swim in the waves; their energy pushes you back to shore. If the waves are too big for your level of swimming, don’t swim.
