![]() Figure 1 shows what this water circulation pattern looks like. This means that the easiest way for water to head back offshore is through the deeper channels and that is where most rip currents form. Since waves mostly break in shallow areas, there is a lot of wave breaking and whitewater across sand bars, but not as much across the channels, where the water is deeper. Rips are formed by the action of breaking waves, and sand bars play an important role in this. Sandbars are underwater mounds of sand that come in different shapes and sizes, often with deeper channels running through them. While there are several different types of rip currents, most are just like rivers-they flow in deeper channels between shallow sandbars. Most of this wave breaking occurs in an area called the surfzone-because this is where you can actually catch the waves and surf!Īs the whitewater moves toward the beach, it does not just keep piling up at the beach (or else the whole beach would be underwater!), but instead, the water flows back offshore-thanks to strong, narrow currents called rip currents. As the water gets shallower, the waves slow down and steepen, until they eventually topple over and “break.” Breaking waves trap lots of air bubbles in the water, making the water look white and foamy, called whitewater. These waves travel long distances in deep water before they get to the beach. One of the fun things about the beach is watching and playing in the waves, which were likely made by wind hundreds of miles away. That is what we want to tell you about in this article! Introduction Two important things to know about rip currents are: (1) how to spot them and (2) what to do if you get caught in one. The best way to stay safe at the beach is to always swim near lifeguards and avoid swimming if there are none around. ![]() ![]() We call these rip currents, and they are the main cause of drowning and rescues on surf beaches. Everyone enjoys visiting the beach and playing or swimming in the water, but sometimes, waves breaking on beaches can create strong, narrow currents that can pull you out of your depth and into deeper water, where you may find yourself in trouble.
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