April 2019 (ROTM#124) Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia

The Coffs Harbour Lifeguards have had a tough run the last few years with multiple drownings occurring on unpatrolled beaches in the region. Most of them have been rip current related. They run an excellent Facebook page and are constantly updating it with excellent beach safety educational material and images including this one. I'm not sure what beach it is, and the picture is a wide angle, but it clearly shows a 'dark gap' channelised rip current right in front. It's about 10 m wide and extends right through the surf zone.

 It shows why looking at the beach from a vantage point really helps to spot rips. these are also the conditions that often lead to drownings. Beautiful days, the waves aren't that big and the water looks inviting - particularly that 'calmer' area without much wave breaking in the middle. Guaranteed that rip would have been flowing very fast. Thanks to Greg Hackfath of the Coff Harbour Lifeguards for permission to use this photo.

Ever heard of the expression ‘rip bowl’?