Everything you need to know about surf, sand and rips
Considering the number of mishaps and rescues we have at our beaches each year; I believe Dr Rips Essential Beach Book is a book that should be owned by all beach goers.
It covers situations all over the globe moving from photographs of the biggest waves (in Portugal) to a beach in Stanley (Tasmania.) The author also discusses many aspects of the beach which range from different sands and their composition, to rips, how to escape them and what to do if bitten by stingers.
The ability to spot a rip when swimming at a surf beach is a great benefit. Even more important though is what you should do if caught in a rip. One theory is to swim parallel to the beach to get out of the pull of the rip, however, we are told that “Rips don’t always flow straight out from the beach….and can be from 5-50 metres wide.” Here the author emphasises the importance of swimming between lifeguards’ flags.
Rob covers a variety of fascinating aspects of the oceans. He looks at waves and the science of their formation, sand dunes and beach hazards. He also describes the subtle differences between beaches and things to look out for. Some beaches will have big waves, some will be steep and narrow, and some will be wide. The different types of beaches can be identified all over the world.
Dr Rips Essential Beach Book is such an entertaining book to read. It has been broken up into many short chapters so you can choose which one is relevant to you. The photographs show exactly what the author has implied and educate the reader clearly. It is a fascinating glimpse into our love of the sea.
