At what depth are rip tides a safety risk?

[Mymincepie]

Is paddling safe? Knee depth? Hip depth? Waist? I'm talking about unknown rips, not where you can obviously see one, as I'd avoid going in at all then. And with children too... is it safe for children to paddle on the beach with us, up to their hips? What depth are rip tides generally strong enough to pull you out?

Avoid any rip tide.

I wouldn't be taking kids anywhere near a riptide

Most commonly they form about a metre from shore.

They won't pull you under as such, but they can knock you off your feet, so if your kids are small enough that they'd be under the water if they sat down and you aren't within arms reach of them to pull them back up then it might not be very safe.

If you do get caught in one, just paddle or swim sideways until you get out of it.

I just linked to this thread, on another post here today. It might help answer your question.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4331128-AIBU-to-say-rip-currents-can-get-you-in-shallow-water-and-body-boards-are-actually-quite-dangerous?page=1

What is your understanding of rip tides ? So we are talking about the same thing

Just 6 inches of moving water can take an adult off their feet.

Stay away from riptide.

The most important thing imo is to use a lifeguarded beach.

Not sure why you've switched voting on as you don't have an aibu question.
Don't take any child or vulnerable person into water where there is a rip tide warning.
It's too easy to forget and start splashing about and moving further into the sea.
Keep safe and dry.

I know what to look out for at the beach (seen videos, photos etc) but I understand it's not always as clear. And I always thought it's pretty safe wading knee deep, and rips are more of a threat if you are a bit deeper out. But I'd like a better understanding so I know exactly what is and isnt safe.

If you're suggesting that they only become a safety risk at certain depths, that suggests that at shallower depths, a rip tide is safe. That is really dangerous thinking. Rip tides are not safe, not at any depth.

You shouldn't be going anywhere near a rip tide. They can knock you off your feet and have you under water and in danger in seconds.

Have you ever stood in a riptide? They're incredibly strong, you can't keep your balance as an adult. I would let children paddle on the shoreline in calm seas knowing there were riptides further out (because they don't affect lapping waves), but no more.

I mean obviously, they get more dangerous as they get deeper, and you're unlikely to be killed by a riptide that's ankle deep, but they're still not safe.

Sorry I did that by accident.

Just seen the updates - I wouldn't leave the children alone at all ever, because they could easily wander further out. And literally just walking along the shoreline, not any further in.

Of course I wouldn't... if I knew it was there. But you can't always see them can you? Is it ever safe to paddle at the beach bearing this in mind?

I live a beach that sometimes has a rip tide (that's also a risk - they are unpredictable and can occur within seconds and at different locations)

advice is to only ever go swimming at life guarded areas and to clisely watch the flags.

dangerous current means not to go in deeper than knee height.

and never ever ever ever use floatation toys at the beach.

I would never leave them alone at any time. I'm just trying to gauge if it is actually ever safe even paddling on the beach if riptides are that strong, and you don't always know they are there. I haven't ever experienced one, but they worry me, even though I am ultra-cautious.

and practice floating on back. especially for children but adults too.

if you are pulled out to sea you can stay on your back until help arrives.

Paddling right at the shore is generally safe but if you have small children you might want to stick to life guarded beaches only.

And yes, no flotation devices, especially lilos!

You're talking more about rip currents rather than rip tides btw

I would never swim at a beach, nor let my children, but we do sometimes paddle up to their waist depth together. I keep an eye out for rip tides but they still scare me. How do lifeguards spot them? If it through visual or do they have monitoring equipment in the sea?

Ah OK, thanks. What's the difference?

We don't have many lifeguarded beaches here but will stick to just paddling up to knee depth unless we visit a lifeguarded beach. Thanks.

The depth they occur at, the angle of the flow, the area affected.

Rip currents are what pulls you directly away from a beach and are a danger to anything that floats, a riptide is caused by a particular seafloor and coastal formation and is normally much more water moving much further from shore