Study shows rip tides predictable.

Byline: LYNNE LANGLEY

Labor Day crowds at Lowcountry beaches are pretty predictable, but according to a new study, so are rip currents, commonly known as rip tides.

Far from quirky, each of the potentially deadly currents stays in the same place for weeks or months on end, according to the study.

So if a rip current has caught someone at a certain spot recently, beachgoers may want to stay on alert and look for signs of the hazardous currents. Though the rip may remain hidden under the surface, certain circumstances, including waves and low tide, make the current far stronger and more likely to envelope someone who is swimming or paddling on a raft.

The good news for Lowcountry beachgoers is that 2002 has been a relatively quiet summer for rip currents.

This summer, nine people were rescued from rip currents at Folly Beach County Park, compared to 34 such rescues last summer, 15 in 2000, and just one in 1999.

This year's rescues include three on Aug. 17 alone, three in July …