• Beach channel rip current hazards are influenced by a combination of rip circulation patterns and rip flow speed.

• Rip current flow speed increases with wave height until there is significant wave breaking across the head of the rip channel (outer bar).

• Beach channel rip current flow speeds can be high even under relatively small waves (significant wave heights of approx. 1m).

• The proportion of rip exit flow patterns decreases with increasing wave height.

• Beach channel rips are especially hazardous to bathers under small swell-wave conditions with a long wave period. Under these conditions rip flow speed, rip exits and rip pulsation are maximized.