Author Talk - Dr Rip's Essential Beach Book

 The Australian National Maritime Museum hosted Rob Brander in its Author Talk series today. Rob "Dr Rip" Brander is known as a surf scientist. His book explores the formation and processes associated with beaches - waves, currents and the impacts of weather such as storms.

You can see some ofhis work at the Science of Surf website here:
www.scienceofthesurf.com/
...or visit his youtube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYAccwyyLsG1VzU4MzgUUDA
There is also an excellent educational resource available here:
https://www.scienceofthesurf.com/study-guides

A number of key messages were communicated in the presentation related to safe use of beaches.

Stop, Look and Plan
Dr Rip discussed the large of bystander drownings - people going in to assist someone struggling in the ocean, and then drowning themselves. He states that everyone should take some time before going into the water to identify how they will react and what they can use in an emergency, particularly floatation devices.

White is nice, green is mean
The book, as well as his social media and other educational resources provide excellent annotated photographs to communicate the location of rips at the beach. The phrase "White is nice, green is mean" was also used to help communicate safe places to swim.

This book and resources are relevant for students studying coasts in the Environmental Change and Management topic of Year 10 Geography; Oceanography in Elective Geography; as well as various Marine and Aquaculture Technology topics such as Open Water Snorkelling, Small Waterboats, Skills Management and Employment.

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