September 2013 (ROTM#57) Salinas Beach, Castrillon, Northern Spain

I keep telling people that the most common type of rip current is one that sits in a deep channel between two shallow sand bars and that they are found over the world. And people keep telling me I'm wrong, but this series of rip currents along Salinas Beach on Spain's northern Atlantic Coast looks pretty convincing to me!

This picture was sent to me from Ignacio Florez of the Salinas Lifeguards, who were interested in some advice on conducting beach safety education. I think the same type of advice and knowledge of rips we teach on the east coast of Australia would be just as relevant on this stretch of coast in Spain. The picture was also taken at low tide and it looks like the tidal range might be over 2 m. I wonder how much the people who live or stay in those apartment buildings know about rips?

Classic rips with a Spanish flavour