WATCH: Learn about rip currents

BEACHGOERS need to educate themselves on rip currents before heading down to the beach this festive season, as being knowledgeable can save your life.

Rip currents are able to develop where there are breaking waves, as bigger waves produce stronger currents and these ‘rivers’ of current are produced by water moving from the beach back out to sea.

ALSO READ: School shoe campaign takes off

They happen all the time at many beaches and are the biggest danger visitors can face in the water.

Often rip currents move slowly enough to barely be detected.But given the right circumstances of waves and beach profile, they can develop into currents moving at speeds of up to two metres per second.

Ranging in width from just a few metres to a hundred metres, they pull to just behind where the waves form and then lose their power.

A rip current is not the same as a rip tide, which is formed as the tide ebbs and flows through a narrow opening such as an estuary.

This is what you should look out for:

Water through a surf zone that is a different colour to the surrounding water.

A change in the incoming pattern of waves, seaweed, sand ‘clouds’ or debris moving out to the backline where waves are forming through the surf zone.

Turbulent or choppy water in the surf zone in a channel or river-like shape flowing away from the beach.

The best resource to help you avoid rip currents are lifeguards.

Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, and if they are not on duty do not swim.

If avoidance fails:

If you are caught in a rip current the most important thing to remember is: Do not panic and stay calm and force yourself to relax.

You are not going to win a fight with the ocean, so swim slowly and conservatively out of the current or relax and let it carry you out past the breakers until it slacks.

Take note from looking at the beach of the direction that the current is pulling you, think of it like a river and remember to get out of a river you would swim to the river bank.

This means that in a rip current you should swim at 90 degrees to the direction that you are being pulled and then use the waves to help you get back to the beach.

A rip current will not pull you under the water.

So long as you can float you will be safe until you can escape the current, by swimming to the side and then back to the beach.

Be sure to maintain a slow and relaxed pace until you reach the shore or assistance arrives.

If you are swimming at a beach where lifeguards are on duty, they will be able to help you.

Raise your arm and wave for help.If you see someone in a rip current, do not go in to help unless you are trained and have emergency flotation such as the NSRI pink rescue buoy or a surf board.

If you are not trained in water rescue, throw something that floats into the rip current which will carry it out to the person in difficulty.

The pink rescue buoy signs have emergency numbers for the closest NSRI station on them or simply Google ‘Sea Rescue’ which will give you the closest Sea Rescue Station’s emergency number.

Other tips:

Talk to lifeguards about local hazards before getting into the water.

Never swim alone.

Discuss rip currents and how to deal with them with your children.

Swim only on beaches where lifeguards are on duty.