Wave-driven channel flows in coral reefs have been described, but their interpretation within a rip current framework has remained less developed than for sandy shores. Here, a rip current in a fringing coral reef was investigated through field observations and an idealized numerical model. Velocity profiles and wave conditions were measured within the reef channel and at an offshore site to characterize incident wave forcing. An idealized numerical model, validated against observations, was used to examine the momentum balance and quantify offshore transport associated with the reef-gap rip current. Field observations revealed that 73% of the variance in offshore-directed flow velocity can be explained by incoming significant wave height, compared with 7.7% for tidal currents. Similar to rip currents on sandy shores, the rip current at this fringing reef site was forced by incoming wave energy and modulated by tidal elevation. The modeled cross-shore momentum balance within the channel suggested that the main driving forces were pressure gradients, nonlinear advection, and wave-breaking dissipation, while bottom friction played only a secondary role in the channel. Offshore export increased with incident wave height under low to moderate wave conditions but saturated under high waves, possibly reflecting a shift in the partitioning between the mean and transient eddy motions. The integrated observational and modeling approach advances understanding of reef channel circulation within the rip current framework and clarifies both shared dynamics and distinctive features of offshore transport in coral reef environments.