Tide rips | Previous Top Next

The boundary line between two current systems of water of different densities can sometimes be identified from the way in which driftwood, seaweed and so on stretch out in a more or less straight line. Tide rips can also be identified from differences in the colour of the seawater or of the wave pattern on either side of the dividing line.
Apart from tide rips, at sea regular one also meets parallel bands with a clearly different wave pattern. This phenomenon may be caused by internal waves. These are waves that occur at the boundary between two different masses of water lying on top of one another. The crests and troughs of the internal waves affect the wave movement on the surface.