Re-reading through this, and just checking for the odd contravention against the guidelines set out here. All looks to be in order. No short-cuts to use of ‘canned phrases’, no use of em dashes or other such, no wholly fictitious images used, no over-hyped or blandly neutral business-like writing, no over-stated or highly contested absolute claims, and no attempt to artificially-inflate traffic to links to other articles here.
Hinges: All contrast statements are examined for hinge behaviour. “Don’t swim against it… you’ll only tire yourself out” is not a hinge as it is stated outside of a contrast. “Not just at well-known hotspots” is a hinge, but there are only 1 or 2 instances of these types of statements as opposed to 3 or more.
The content types in the sections vary quite significantly (myth-check, discoloured water, flags, waves, drift, scouting, what-to-do) so there is no need to make any change with respect to the repeated section shape check.
What Rip Currents Look Like
Rip currents are most people’s perception of them – i.e. rough churning water. And so they swim towards the other calm looking patch of water of same height as surrounding surf. Which is the opposite. In fact you can tell from the shore whether or not you need to go for a swim before you go for a swim.
The Calm Gap Myth-Check
At first glance a smooth flat strip of water between areas of breaking waves looks like a great place to swim, the calmest part of the beach. But this can in fact be a channel of water pulled back off the beach by the rip current. It may look still but with white breaking waves on either side, so be suspicious of calm areas of water with white breaking waves on either side.
Churning Or Discoloured Water
And on the other hand, areas of churning water, that may appear to be churning up sand or sediment, can indicate that water is being pulled away from the shore. Look for areas where sand, sediment or even seaweed may be streaming away from the beach. Foam lines that extend straight out from the shore are also worth noting as these can indicate areas of water being pulled away from the beach.
Reading The Beach Flags
A Red and Yellow flag together indicates that the area is manned by lifeguards and that swimming and bodyboarding are permitted within this area. A Black and White chequered flag indicates that this area is restricted to boards, kayaks and other craft and that swimmers are not permitted within this area. A single Red flag indicates that the water is unsafe for swimming and that the beach is closed.
Waves Breaking Further Out
Looking along the length of a beach for potential rips rather than focusing on a single point can help to pick up on a change in the wave pattern where the waves are breaking further out to sea on either side of the current and the water above the current is flatter and breaking later than the rest. This change in the wave pattern is one of the clearest signs from the shore of a rip current.
Watching How Things Drift
Even if you’re already on the beach, you can easily check for offshore current by looking at how objects in the water are moving. If you’ve thrown a ball into the water, or there’s a piece of seaweed floating about, check to see if it’s being carried offshore. If so, it’s likely to be pulled by a rip current. Other swimmers can also be affected by a current and will typically be moving in a straight line, away from the shore.
Scouting The Whole Beach First
Wait at the top of the beach. Look for dunes, a slipway, a wall of a car park – somewhere you can survey the entire length of the beach before you head down. The patterns in the surf will be easier to spot from up high and you can see the flags and the channels in the sand.
What To Do If You’re Caught
As water pulls you away from shore try to remain as calm as possible and float on your back. Use one hand to signal for help and, if you are still within range of the beach, swim in a parallel direction to the shore when the current loosens its grip on you. Do not attempt to swim against the current as you will become exhausted quickly. Instead, swim back to shore when you are out of the current.
The way water behaves on a beach all around the UK can give away the presence of a rip current. Thus it is worth spending a minute or so to read the water before you swim. The information will cost you nothing and be of great value.
Checklist before you get in:
Swim at a lifeguarded beach and within the area marked by red and yellow flags.
A channel of churning water and/or debris, or a calm gap between waves.
If caught: don’t swim against it, float, raise a hand and shout.
Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if someone is in trouble.
