Rip Swings

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone started the topic in Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 7:20am

Surf in em nearly everyday and understand how and they work but what i dont understand is how they can or what causes them too swing.

On the Morn Peninsula, rips are more or less essential for a waves too work. And so when your out there having a good time, the rip can either just stop or even swing off it ruining the wave. The sand will still be there, but the wave will turn into mush. The banks fown the Portsea end arent your typical left bank - channel - right bank where the rip can swing between the two. The water usually has one exit and thats were my curiosity kicks in.

The only thing i can think of is a weird angled set doing something?

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 8:10am

Not quite sure what you're talking about - is this about how a rip can alternate its angle/trajectory? Or how it starts and stops?

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 8:31am

We get the same here on the Island with our beachies.

Rips can change strength and direction within minutes, generally a bank works best when rip is pulling straight out or into the waves, but if pulling away even if the waves look good, its generally very hard to position yourself deep enough and even when you are on the waves you can feel the water pulling away making hard to surf and feeling fat, even when from the beach the shape appears good.

IMHO the changes in rip direction and strength can just happen when you get changes in tide/water depth causing water to move in different ways, iMHO it's often not just the bank and channel where you are surfing that decides direction and strength, but also the banks either side, even aspects like if banks up or down the beach stop breaking or if there size increase with tide etc

Sometimes you even get banks that's rip direction will swing back and forth in different directions and strength, depending on where sets have hit.

Also remember sand is constantly moving even if you don't see it, building and getting pulled away.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 8:57am

This is outside my area of expertise, but one of the causes for short term changes in rip characteristics is surf beat, which is essentially a very long period wave (more like a surge) associated with the arrival of a set of regular breaking (wind) waves.

Without realising it, many surfers would probably have a feel for how surf beat works - you know when to jump (or not) off a point depending on how the sets are breaking, because you know that the right timing will flush you out into the lineup, and the wrong timing will throw you back on the rocks. 

With regards to rips, I would presume that small differences in nearshore bathymetry (across banks and gutters), in association with irregular wave breaking patterns and surf beat setup (and other factors such as the tidal phase), means that rips can change direction and strength at any time, depending on certain influences at that point in time.

If you were to superimpose an excess of water from from a different angle (for example, from the other side of the channel because a set has broken there not at your bank) across an otherwise steady rip, it's easy to envisage a change in the volume of water being funnelled back out to sea. How this change materialises (increase in speed, angle, or even the rip moving perpendicular along the bank) depends on a large number of factors specific to your own circumstances.

We also have to remember that as surfers, we're essentially only measuring it via one outcome. And that is: whether it degrades or enhances the surf quality. We're not interested in the volume of water, or sand transport, or its association with the consistency of the sets. 

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 12:21pm

My bad. Pretty much both. Whats in my head never comes out good in text let alone speech

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Monday, 30 Apr 2018 at 12:28pm

Same with here ID. If the rip isnt running through the wave i.e /// direction through a right and \\\ for a left. Even when the rip is straight can cause issues.

I think youve hit the nail on the head though Ben, whereas there isnt just one simple answer, rather just the surf itselfs, there is alot of factors come into play.

Cheers for the feedback!

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Friday, 28 Jun 2024 at 12:34pm

Salute Nick Bone for raising Rip Awareness & thank swellnet for reply.

2024 #1 swellnet webcast CT Saquarema event @ Itauna Rock Crop.
The Rip is so wild that Local CT Champ can't paddle into his wildly ramped sick pits!

Just like Nick, tbb thought what's the trick with this...No direct Outfall...
Read all the Mechanics but it don't explain this Massive Rip in Beachgoers terms.
In a weird way it reflects how mankind equally 'channeled & fuelled' their Mutated Teahupoo Slab!
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=492581130801455&set=a.4925808841348...
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-analysis/2018/05/16/lemoore-isnt-...
https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/mechanics-saquarema-brazil-breaking-d...

tbb kept searching for additional hidden Stormwater Outlets...or even the walled off road...
Photos do reveal sloped town > wet patches on beaches that may combo heavily in Rain Events.
2024 comp is held in Wild Wet Weather with Windy Seas that are bouncing off Everything.
Clearly see that Water is trapped inside in Deep Holes or surging but it don't relate to rapid outfall.

As a bodybasher...naturally thought this Hellish beach is off limits...
Nope! It's a haven for little kids family fun...WTF...( That's off the Charts )
Can say without doubt...SLSA / Councils would rule this surf spot off limits to the Public.

So how & why do Brazil Councils Flag this Hell Hole Rip Bowl a Kiddies Wading Pool?
tbb just had to know...this defies belief? (Can read below)

But first! We need to establish the ins'n'outs.

Q: Hands Up! Any surfer here that has ever seen a [ Rip Sign ] on any Aussie Beach anywhere?
Warning...Be perfectly honest with your answer...Picture what it would look like...(Nope!)

Ok!

What you think you saw was this SIGN
https://www.facebook.com/slsaustralia/photos/a.168917033130662/210073642...

/~~~~o/`X~~~~~>\
~~~~~~~~~~~~>
__DANGEROUS__
\.......CURRENT...... /

Aussie Backbackerz Translation : (Aukus [M1] Fuck off!)

There are no SLSA [RIP] Signs...(Huh!)
Of course there are tbb...on every fuckin' beach there are...Surely..( Nope! Sorry, not a one & not a Thing)
If ya do see one...might wanna report it to SLSA...before they declare bankruptcy! WTF!

WTF : Exactly...the very reason yer reading this in #1swellnet.
How is this possible?

SLSA scream to never go near a fuckin' Pure Evil Rip or you'll instantly Die a horrid death.
They swear & abuse if ya swim out side their usual Flagged Rip Zone...that boardriderz drool over!

Begs the obvious Question as to why not simply inform ALL beachgoers of the Local Flagged Rip.
You mean with [RIP] Safety Signs like everywhere else in the World...Huh! (Yep! As easy as that!)

Well that's all a bit too obvious...isn't it now!

Think about it...
From day one ~ Every single Aussie Beach Town & City is built upon a Resourceful Rip Surf Beach.
That equals a Truck load of Signs...

Yes! But No But Yes But! We have more Beach Surf Safety signs than entire World can muster...(True!)
So ya stupid bastard tbb...we just staple the fuckin' dumbarse [RIP] Signs onto our Fully Leashed Signs!

Afraid SLSA aren't permitted to do that...
WTF! tbb...yer full of shit...
SLSA are Godz and can ordain any fuckin' Sign on any fuckin' beach while yer surfing...(Mostly True!)

But not a [RIP] Sign never...no fucking way unless they pay a Fuckin' Fortune.
Ok! tbb ya smartarse...just who are these Surf Godz that hold Ultimate Power over our Aussie Legends.

Surf Godz name is NOAA ...
Aussie beach bums : "Think ya mean Noah!" (tbb...Sure! Huey's coz...that'd be him!)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to you matey & don't you forget!

NOAA Quote : Break the GRIP of the (R)IP is Trademarked.
This Life-Saving Message...(t&c)
Was vetted by a team of Meteorologists, coastal scientists and Lifeguards and MAY NOT BE ALTERED.
Please read Surf Godz policy, prior to using signs or other materials with this protective wording.
https://www.weather.gov/safety/ripcurrent-signs-brochures

How did tbb find out about this...in order to share this anomaly...

Ya can all Salute #1swellnet for broadcasting a Surf Comp at 2am during the Witching Hour!
Seeing that Wild Rip...led to tbb tracking down a RIP sign on Itauna Beach...(Wotz that?) Get it!
Once tbb researched Wot That Sign was for...the whole shitshow unraveled...onto why here & now!
Again like to thank Nick & swellnet for allowing & encouraging open debate on a serious SLSA crisis.

For the record...Yes...slowly Oz media News + a few Surf Orgs are willing to run the NOAA rip Graphics
Pretty sure Surf Godz NOAA will permit free or neutral cost for SLSA online Safety Messages...

As for rolling their precious Signs out on Council Beaches...
Use yer own imagination...that's a fucking Gold Mine...NOAA's ship has come in...
Never gonna happen unless a Merger of sorts franchises the [RIP] Signage rollout...
Rip signage is Dead set serious alright...
All crew only wish Oz could inform the Public of Rip Danger as easily & affordably as other Nations.
Yeah well...they don't have a Millions of VIP seachange {R.I.P} Beaches do they now! (Pot of Gold!)

Hold up! Where not done just yet...
There is another contentious point regarding the Signage...
It goes against everything All Oz Govt's / SLSA / RLSA promote...It's #1 Cash Cow...[L] 2 Swim.
Oz govts mandate Migrants & Gromz to Swim & win Gold or be deported.

Sign clearly advises to [Float] tbb is in 100% agreement on [L] To float before [L] 2 swim or die fuckerz

Those in the know will slowly see a shift from Aussies needing to conquer the Sissy Ocean
SLSA Rip Advice :
[Swim madly like all fuck to bugger yerself out then with last gasp...Raise arm to Sink like a Stone]

or ya could...do this...

[Relax! Float on yer back & raise arm up & down as many times as needed > all day long if ya like]
Wot...be Lazy goin' into battle & just lie face up on the ocean...with one arm for shade / signal...Yep!
Surely first gotta fight off all 7 seas before yer last beer...all sounds very Unaustrayin'.

Slowly over the last 10 years Oz is coming 'round to embrace RIP Bowl Majesty rather than fight it!

Happy to share the Guts of Surf Safety...No! You wouldn't read about it elsewhere but #1swellnet!

Wanna read more on this taboo topic...swellnet companion site...Enjoy yer Surf & keep safe!
Not Surfing, Drowning! (tbb spills the raw guts on the Long Haul Transition from Swim to Float)
Let it Rip!

https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/09/18/not-surfing-d...