Most cities in Australia  are coastal. This means you will be able to walk to the ocean to have a swim in the ocean.

IF you come from a country that doesn’t have beaches closeby, or you are not used to swimming in the ocean on a daily basis, please be VERY careful.

Here are some tips and precautions when swimming in the ocean:

(CAREFUL WITH RIPS)

You will very likely swim in the ocean whilst in Australia.  It is just part of the Aussie lifestyle. Even if you are a strong swimmer, be careful with RIPS as they can carry you out into deep water.

A rip is a strong current running out to sea. Rips are the cause of most rescues performed at beaches. A rip usually occurs when a channel forms between the shore and a sandbar, and large waves have built up water which then returns to sea, causing a drag effect. The larger the surf the stronger the rip.

HOW TO IDENTITY RIPS?

The safest move is to learn how to read the ocean. The following features will alert you to the presence of a rip:

• Darker colour, indicating deeper water
• Murky brown water caused by sand stirred up off the bottom
• Smoother surface with much smaller waves, alongside white water (broken waves)
• Waves breaking further out to sea on both sides of the rip
• Debris floating out to sea
• A rippled look, when the water around is generally calm

When unsure Always ask the Life Guards on duty.

You can also check this video that explains how to identify a rip.

We hope you find these tips and information useful.

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