"Rip Tide" kills three swimmers in Cornwall

Discussion in 'World Events' started by Captain Kremmen, Oct 27, 2014.

  1. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    So long as everyone knows the signal, I suppose the clearest word is best.
    If someone shouted fire in the middle of the sea, that would certainly attract your attention.
    If you live where there are breaking waves, rip tides are a possibility, even if they have never caused an emergency in the past.
    I don't know why breaking waves are a necessary factor.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2014
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  3. billvon Valued Senior Member

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    Breaking waves drive water before them, and that is the "engine" that pumps water into the shallow area; it is then returned to the sea through the narrow gap. That return current, if small and intense enough, is a riptide. Without breaking waves water is not pumped into the shallow area. (Regular ocean waves don't move any water; the water just stays in place and moves in a circle.)
     
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  5. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    Why waves "break" is sort of interesting. The wave has many components of shorter wave length in it. These shorter wave length componets travel faster than the fundamental component of the wave - dispersion but not very noticeable until the wave gets into shallow water (near the shore) Then the fundamental component "feels bottom drag" and slows down its speed some, but the shorter componets don't. Relative to the fundamental, they "race ahead" steepen up the wave front and finally get ahead of it but then with little under them they fall down - that is what a "breaking wave" is.
     
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  7. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Could these areas not be marked in some kind of way via shore flags, etc?
     
  8. elte Valued Senior Member

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    It appears that riptide killed my high school English teacher on vacation around Myrtle Beach many years after I graduated. The cause of death was given as drowning.
     
  9. Bells Staff Member

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    On most beaches, they appear and disappear quickly and regularly. So safe swimming areas often move up and down patrolled beaches. On beaches with long term or what they refer to as permanent rips, they usually have signs pointing where they are and flags indicating safe swimming areas.

    At least this is the case here on the open surf beaches in Queensland. I am not sure of the policies around the rest of the world.

    I do think that learning what to do in a rip should be part of any child's swimming lessons. Especially to teach and explain to children what it feels like and that they should not panic. The same should apply for adult swimming lessons as well.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2014
  10. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    No unsolicited address, please.
     
  11. Bells Staff Member

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    *rolls eyes*
     
  12. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    Stop arguing you two.
     
  13. Bells Staff Member

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    Shh.. My response apparently offended his sensibilities. It's all good though. I removed the quote. Let's move on shall we...
     

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