Warning of rip danger

Swimmers need to be educated about hazardous water conditions

A GREATER number of safety flags and a more aggressive water education campaign are needed to curb the number of people drowning, an expert says.

University of New South Wales rip expert Associate Professor Rob Brander said more Australians died from drowning in rips than they did from shark attacks, a fact most swimmers are unaware of.

Professor Brander described rips as strong, narrow, seaward-flowing currents, often confined in channels, that flow from the shoreline through the surf zone.

Prof Brander said swimmers were “too complacent” about water conditions and often failed to see if it was safe enough before swimming.

“If there are no flags or it looks like a rip — you shouldn’t swim,” Prof Brander said.

His warning follows a hor- ror season for lifeguards along the Surf Coast.

Two people nearly drowned along the region’s beaches on New Year’s Day, while two teenage girls successfully rescued two drowning men in early January.

Life Saving Victoria general manager Paul Shannon said all swimmers needed to know how to identify a rip before taking a dip in the ocean.

“Rips are the number one beach hazard for swimmers and each year more people drown in rips than from shark attacks, cyclones and floods combined,” Mr Shannon said.

LSV Principle Research Associate Dr Bernadette Matthews said rip currents were responsible for taking many lives in Victoria this summer.

“Rips are a hazard not just in Australia, but globally,” she said.

Rescues of people saved from rip currents in Australia make up around 90 per cent of rescues each year.

Prof Brandis said increased rip education could save lives.

He said swimmers should take five minutes to assess ocean conditions upon arrival at the beach, and likened it to looking left or right before crossing the road, and added that they should swim between the flags at all times.

“... most Australians know about swimming between the red and yellow flags, but there’s not enough of them — we just need more flags and more seasonal lifeguards on our beaches,” he said.