Assessing the effectiveness of rip current swimmer escape strategies, Shelly Beach, NSW, Australia

ABSTRACT McCarroll, R.J., Brander, R.W., MacMahan, J.H., Turner, I.L., Reniers, A.J.H.M., Brown, J.A. and Bradstreet, A., 2013. Assessing the effectiveness of rip current swimmer escape strategies, Shelly Beach, NSW, Australia . Rip flow dynamics have important implications for swimmer escape strategies, with recent field studies indicating flow is often contained within the surf zone, re-circulating onto shallow bars. Combining physical measurements in a variety of conditions with various escape strategies allows insights into the safest response by individuals caught in a rip. A three day experiment was conducted at Shelly Beach, NSW in December, 2011. Lagrangian measurements of rip flow using GPS drifters were obtained. Participants with attached GPS were deployed in groups of 3 to 5 in rip currents to simulate various escape actions such as floating with the rip current, and swimming in a parallel direction at varying distances from shore. Day 1 and 2 measurements captured an open beach rip current an...