Riptides are actually rip currents – strong currents that flow in channels between sandbanks and pull away the shore.
They can flow at speeds of up to 8km/h (5mph), which may sound slow, but is much faster than it’s possible to swim.
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Once you’re in the grip of a rip current, it can be difficult to escape. Deaths often occur due to exhaustion, when people caught in them try to swim against the current.
According to the UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the best strategy for survival is to swim or wade parallel to the shore, thus heading out of the rip current rather than against it.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Paula Griffin, via email) 'How do you escape a riptide?'
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