A riptide is a strong current heading out to sea. It can be dangerous for surfers and swimmers alike. Check out the waves section to find out more details. Also called current or riptide: Water traveling along the shore or seaward in a coherent distinguishable mass. Rips are created by water piling up near shore after a series of waves, and then escaping back out to sea in the attempt to equalize the water level. Rips, like rivers, usually focus in areas of the least resistance, like areas with slightly deeper water or lesser wave activity than the adjacent area. These currents may proceed along the shore before finding a slightly deeper area to escape back out to sea. These currents may also dig a channel between sandbars, which actually improve the shape of the surf and provide an easy access back out to the lineup. Swimmers should never try to swim directly against a current, but swim sideways out of the current before attempting to swim back to the beach.