Dr. Tim Scott is an Associate Professor in Ocean Exploration and has been actively contributing to internationally recognised research in fields of beach and submarine geomorphology, rip current dynamics and coastal hazards. On his site he gives a good insight into rip currents, where they can be found, what different kind of rip currents there exist, and most important what to do if you are caught in a rip current. The RNLI advices:

• Do not try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted.
• If you can stand, wade don’t swim.
• If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore.
• Always raise your hand and shout for help.

By Roy Ballantyne, Neil Carr and Karen Hughes, published in Tourism Man 2005, 26(4): 617-22.

The paper assesses the behavior of international and domestic students on beaches in Queensland, Australia and their knowledge of beach safety practices.

Safe Coastal Tourism refers to this article as it quotes interesting articles on tourists' behavior on the beach, on how to change risky behavior to safe behavior, on the protectiveness by tourism industry of beach images as ideal holiday destinations....