These are short-lived, narrow, offshore flows that typically last from seconds to a few minutes. They often form suddenly due to increased wave height or breaking frequency. They are hydrodynamically driven, controlled primarily by the flow patterns of water rather than the seafloor. These rips are mobile and unpredictable, sometimes appearing as visible streaks of whitewash or foam moving in brief bursts.
These rips occupy deep channels between sandbars and the greater ocean. Because of the shift in the ocean topography these rips often show a "dark gap" in the water because of the ocean floor shift in depth. They can stay in the same place for weeks or months on end.
These rips are generated from the presence of jetties, groynes, and piers. These structures are directly responsible for the development of these rips. Rips flow adjacent to these structures. and are often permanent in the same general area.