Imagine you're in a bathtub. When you splash water around, it flows back to the other side, that’s like a rip current! Regular waves are like the splashes coming toward you, but rip currents are the hidden rivers of water that pull you away from the shore. They can be strong enough to push you far out into the sea, even if you're just swimming in shallow water.
Examples
- A child is playing in the shallows when suddenly they’re pulled out by a hidden current.
- Swimmer A is enjoying the beach, then gets caught in a powerful rip current and drifts out to sea.
- A wave crashes on shore, but a few feet away, water flows back in a narrow line.
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See also
- How Does the Ocean Stay Blue?
- How Do ‘Waves’ Travel Across the Ocean?
- What Causes the ‘Waves’ in the Ocean?
- What Causes ‘Waves’ in the Ocean?
- What Causes the ‘Waves’ in the Ocean and Why Are They Powerful?
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