The surf was up along the north shore of Prince Edward Island Saturday as strong northerly winds made the surf high, but this did not deter these swimmers at Lakeside beach who braved the waves to try some body surfing. There are no lifeguards at Lakeside so the swimmers were taking a chance in the high surf. These kinds of conditions can be breeding grounds for rip currents that can be dangerous for swimmers. A rip current is a strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline, typically through the surf line, and can occur on any shore that has breaking waves. The water flows seaward from near the shore (not to be confused with an undertow). Typical flow is at 0.5 meters per second, and can be as fast as 2.5 meters per second. Rip currents can move to different locations on a beach break, up to tens of meters a day. They can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the world's oceans, seas, and large lakes such as the Great Lakes in Canada and the United States. Rip currents can be recognized by unusually calm waters, caused by the channel of water flowing out. The color of the water may be different from the surrounding area. Additionally, the waterline is lower on the shore near a rip current. It is advisable to look for the existence of a rip current before heading into the water. (Guardian photo by Brian McInnis)
