Surf Life Saving Central Coast is urging local and visiting beach goers to be aware of rips and currents this summer. A series of initiatives will be run over the summer aimed at reducing drownings.
Fresh campaigns called Stop Look Plan or #StopLookPlan and #dontrisktherip on social media are designed to educate the beach going public about the danger of rips.
Surf Lifesaving Australia says rips are the number one hazard on Australian beaches. with rip currents bring responsible for at least 21 drownings deaths across the country each year.
Surf lifesavers say the best way for swimmers to avoid rips is by swimming at a patrolled beach between the red and yellow flags. The Central Coast has 16 patrolled beaches
Professor Rob Brander of UNSW also known as ‘Dr Rip‘ has been studying rips in his research for years. In an article he penned for The Conversation he pointed out that education of the public is perhaps the best defence.
Dr Rip said ‘There is also an element of complacency of the severity of the rip hazard by the general public and media. In contrast, shark fatalities are front page news, tugging at primal fears’.
Professor Brander is an advocate of education, stating ‘For years I have been doing dye releases, or showing images and video of dye releases, as part of surf safety talks to the general public, primary and high school students’.
‘The use of dye is dramatic, eye-catching and engaging and people seem to remember it’. he wrote.
Rip awareness demonstrations across the Coast
A visual display demonstration of typical beach rips will be shown to the Central Coast public in the new year. The technique uses specially designed natural dyes to highlight beach currents and rips.
The demonstrations will be held at six local beaches commencing on January 2 at 2pm at The Entrance channel.
| Date | Location | Time |
| January 2, 2022 | The Entrance Channel | 2pm |
| January 3, 2022 | Avoca Beach Surf Club | 12pm (previously 2pm) |
| January 15, 2022 | Shelly Beach Surf Club | 1pm |
| January 16, 2022 | Umina Beach Surf Club | 1.30pm |
| January 22, 2022 | The Entrance Channel | 4pm |
| January 29, 2022 | Soldiers Beach Surf Club | 10am |
Volunteer lifesavers will be releasing environmentally friendly dye packs to highlight the Rip and then perform various scenarios with commentary about each scenario. The awareness demonstrations are partly funded by locally based solar installation company Resinc Solar.
Surf Lifesaving has produced a series of resources to educate the public about rips.
Click here to view the Beach Safe resources.
Information sources: Surf Lifesaving Central Coast, The Conversation & Beach Safe, Dec, 2021.