Hi my name's Henry Kiss

And I'm Club Captain here at Portsea Surf Life Saving Club

The number one danger on Australian beaches is rip currents

Now a rip current is just a body of water moving out to sea

What happens in the waves come in, they push a lot of water up the beach

That water then has to get back out to the ocean

And that's going to dig a hole and draw a current out with it

The reason they are so dangerous is

waves tend not to break in a rip current

And people think that they look safer because the water's a lot more calm

One of the problems is people will go into the water there

And they will be heading out to sea away from the safety of shore and they start to panic

The best way to avoid rip currents is

when you come down to the beach is to Swim between the red and yellow flags

The lifesavers and the lifeguards will set the flags up

away from the dangerous currents

If you do find yourself getting into trouble

Maybe a big set has come through and washed you into a rip

The first thing to remember is don't panic

Just relax, raise one arm and wave

until the lifesavers see you.

They will come out and get you. That's what they're there for.

Then the next thing to do is just relax.

Let the water take you where it will

Occassionally it will even just bring you back into the wave zone

and the waves will push you back into the shore

Otherwise just stay upright and wait for the lifesavers to come and get you

If you've got any questions at all

Please go and have a conversation with the lifesavers on duty

They will be more than happy to explain how the rips work and where they are on your particular beach

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