Safety

A rip current is a narrow channel of water flowing back out to sea, usually through a gap between two sandbars. From the beach it looks like a flat, darker strip with no waves breaking, surrounded by whitewater where waves are breaking over the bars. That gap is the rip.

Once you can see rips, the same feature becomes useful: a rip is the easiest way to paddle out at a beach break.

Do not try to fight the current straight back to shore. You will lose. Swim parallel to the beach until the water around you starts to feel different, which means you have moved out of the rip, then turn in and use the breaking waves to push you toward the beach.

If you are too tired to do that, raise one arm and wave for help. Conserve energy by floating on your board.

A leash keeps your board from washing to shore if you fall, which can save your life if you get tired or hurt far out. Leash length should roughly match board length. Check the cord and the velcro before every session; a leash that snaps in a wipeout is worse than no leash at all.

Before you paddle out, pick two fixed landmarks on the beach (a tower, a tree, a building) and use them to line yourself up. Glance back every couple of minutes. If the landmarks have drifted, you have moved with the current, and it is time to paddle back upcoast.

Lifeguarded beaches post a coloured flag that summarises the current hazard. Green is calm, yellow is moderate, red is hazardous, double red means the beach is closed. Surfers are generally allowed to go out in red conditions if they are experienced, but red is the universal sign to take an honest look at your own level before paddling.