A rip current is a strong surface flow of water returning outward from near the shore (not to be confused with an undertow). It is often mistakenly called a "rip tide" or "riptide", which is a flow of water out of an inland lagoon or channel during an ebb tide. Colloquially a rip current is known simply as a rip. Although rip currents would exist even without the tides, tides can make an existing rip much more dangerous (especially low tide). Typical flow is at 0.5 meters per second (1-2 feet per second), and can be as fast as 2.5 meters per second (8 feet per second). Rip currents can move to different locations on a beach break, up to tens of metres (a few hundred feet) a day. They can happen at any beach with breaking waves, including the world's oceans, seas, and large lakes such as the Great Lakes in Canada and the United States. 