RIP currents are solid and often unexpected flows of water that pull you away from the shore. They are usually created by natural causes, such as the effect of waves crashing on a beach (the breaking waves push water away from shore) or tidal currents. They can be deadly if they sweep you out to sea or up against a rocky coast. Lake Ontario does not have RIP currents. The shape of the lake, with its narrows at the Niagara River and wide mouth at Lake Erie, helps keep water moving slowly in a circle. The gentle flow stops ripping currents from forming. RIP currents are standard on the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico.