How to spot a rip current (video)
Rips are complex, can quickly change shape and location, and at times, are difficult to see. The things to look for are deeper, dark-coloured water; fewer breaking waves; a rippled surface surrounded by smooth waters; and anything floating out to sea or foamy, discoloured, sandy, water flowing out beyond the waves. Rips don’t always show all of these signs at once. Can you spot a rip?
- Organisation:
- Topic:
- Target audience:
- General
- Service area:
- National
- Last reviewed:
- December 2025
Multilingual resources
Arabic - How to spot a rip current (video)
Chinese (Simplified) - How to spot a rip current (video)
Chinese (Traditional) - How to spot a rip current (video)
Hindi - How to spot a rip current (video)
Japanese - How to spot a rip current (video)
Korean - How to spot a rip current (video)
Malay - How to spot a rip current (video)
