video Science & Nature Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf: What’s that beacon? Ultimately though, when it comes to beach and rock platform safety, anything helps. You can find NSW ERB locations on the Surf Life Saving website Prof Rob Brander December 2024
video Science & Nature Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf: Flash Rips and Mass Rescues Earlier this summer a lot of media attention was given to a mass rescue of over 20 people in a flash rip at Sydney’s Maroubra Beach. While the actual number of people rescued was exaggerated, it does raise the question: what exactly is a flash... Prof Rob Brander February 2024
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf Dr Rip’s Summer Beach Safety Tips Last summer 54 drownings occurred along the Australian coast – all of them at locations unpatrolled by lifeguards or lifesavers. That’s an incredible statistic. The safest place to swim is always between the red and yellow flags, but the problem... Prof Rob Brander January 2024
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf How sea level rise will affect beaches and surf Last month I mentioned the impact that sea level rise might have on our beaches and surf and suggested that the news might not be so good. It’s worth exploring that a little more as the reality is that it’s not all doom and gloom. Sea level is... Prof Rob Brander December 2023
video Energy Transition Ask a Surf Scientist: Will wind farms affect waves or beaches? I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the impacts that the proposed offshore wind farm will have on our surf and beaches. There’s a lot of concerns about the issue floating around out there (pun intended!) and while it’s important... Prof Rob Brander October 2023
video Science & Nature Dr Rip’s Prediction: It’s going to be the ‘Summer of Sand’ If you’ve gone to the beach lately, you’ve probably noticed there’s a LOT of sand. Beaches are wider than we’ve seen for years and judging from the massive sand banks, there’s more coming – it’s going to be the ‘Summer of Sand’... Prof Rob Brander October 2023
video Science & Nature Dr Rip presents The Sands of Time, Part 2 Last month I wrote about the marvels of the beautiful golden stuff that makes up our beaches. Ah, but it’s not always golden as beaches come in a wide range of colours. Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay claims to be the whitest sand beach in the world... Prof Rob Brander September 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf The Sands of Time, Part 1 I don’t think we appreciate beach sand as much as we should. This thought went through my mind years ago while walking across the black sand on New Zealand’s Piha Beach. It was a sunny day and the sand felt nice and warm. Hot, even. In fact... Prof Rob Brander August 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf ‘It’s one of the best wave-monitoring networks in the world’ There’s plenty more to explore so if you are into waves, definitely go check out the website! Prof Rob Brander June 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf The Magic of Wave Power You often hear surfers talking about waves sometimes feeling more ‘powerful’. Is this really true? Absolutely. It all has to do with basic wave physics. There are three basic points to understand about ocean waves. First, it’s important to... Prof Rob Brander April 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf Don’t rush in You probably heard about some of the terrible beach drownings this summer involving fathers trying to save their child, usually caught in a rip current. These ‘bystander’ drownings involve any member of the public, be they family, friend or... Prof Rob Brander March 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf ‘The Think Line should be ingrained in our beachgoing culture’ There has been a lot of media attention this summer regarding the tragic drownings along the NSW coast, particularly those occurring on unpatrolled beaches. Invariably authorities plead for beachgoers to only swim between the flags on beaches... Prof Rob Brander February 2023
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf Rip Spotting Part 2: Types and What to Do Last month I wrote about how to spot a rip current – the main hazard on our beaches – and mentioned that there are different types of rips, which can make rip spotting tricky. So, what are the different types? The most common are channelised... Prof Rob Brander December 2022
video Dr Rip's Science of the Surf How to spot a rip – part 1 It’s been a while since I’ve written a column about rip currents (as much as it pains me not to), but as we head into summer, it’s worth asking yourself – do I know how to spot a rip? Unless you’re a surfer or regular ocean user, the... Prof Rob Brander November 2022
