Flexi Says: A rip current may appear as a narrow band of dark or sandy water that interrupts the usual pattern of waves that are coming onshore. Rip currents may look smooth, calm, and dark on top, or they may look like churning water with a lot of sand and seaweed. The main thing to look for is a gap in the line of incoming waves. A rip current travels perpendicular to the shore, making a right angle to the line of waves coming onshore.
