Beach and Boating Safety

Knowing a few key beach safety tips could help save your life or someone else’s. Whether it’s dangerous marine life, rip currents, water quality, or nearby boating activity, staying alert and informed is essential every time you visit the seashore.

 

Beach Safety Flags

NOAA/NWS

Beach Flags-

Never ignore the beach flags they’re there for your safety! In the state of Florida, brightly colored flags are flown at the entrances of all public beaches to help keep visitors informed about current water and surf conditions. These beach warning flags serve as an essential part of the beach safety system and can change throughout the day depending on tides, currents, weather, and wave activity.

Each color represents a different level of caution, and understanding what they mean could be the difference between a fun beach day and a dangerous situation. The system is designed to be simple and easy to remember much like a traffic light. A red flag means high hazard, such as strong currents or high surf, and typically signals that swimming is strongly discouraged or even prohibited. A yellow flag means moderate hazard, advising extra caution due to potentially dangerous conditions like moderate surf or currents. A green flag indicates low hazard, signaling that conditions are generally safe for swimming though you should always remain aware of your surroundings.

There’s also a purple flag, which isn’t part of the traffic-light system but is equally important. It indicates the presence of dangerous marine life, such as jellyfish or stingrays, and means you should be extra cautious in the water.

Before you head out into the ocean, always take a moment to check the beach flag status and keep an eye on it while you're there, as conditions can change rapidly. Respecting the flag system helps protect not just you, but everyone around you.

 

Beach Forecast- Know Before you go!
Before visiting the beach check the beach forecast, which includes rip current risk levels and information about other hazards at the beach as well as the Surf Zone Forecast, which includes the rip current risk level, UV Index, and other useful information about potentially hazardous conditions at the beach.

 

What to do in a rip current?

NOAA/NWS

Rip Currents at the seashore-

Swimming in the ocean is not the same as swimming in a pool and can be very physically taxing. Underwater hazards, inlets, dangerous wildlife, and thunderstorms should also be avoided. Never swim alone. Use floatation, swim with a buddy, and/or have someone on shore keep an eye on you. A perfect day on the beach doesn’t always mean that it’s a perfect day in the ocean. If in doubt, don’t go out.

If you find yourself caught in a rip current, don’t swim against the current. FLOAT DON’T FIGHT! Remain calm and swim across the current (parallel to the shore), slowly working your way back to the beach at an angle. If you are still unable to reach the beach, draw attention to yourself by waving your arms and yelling for help. Learn more by watching "Break the Grip of the Rip" video: http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/ripcurrent/

What to do in a emergency?

• Know your location.

• Have a cell phone with you while on the beach.

• If you see or become aware of someone in distress in the water, dial 911.

  • Provide them with your location, that it is a water rescue, the rescue location, and the number of people in the water.

  • Keep eyes on the person in distress and be prepared to direct water rescue personnel to point last seen.

  • Have another person watch for water rescue personnel to direct them to the scene.

  • Do not enter hazardous water at any time.

 

Check the Water Quality Before You Swim-

Before diving into the ocean, it’s important to make sure the water is safe for swimming. In Florida, the Florida Healthy Beaches program monitors the water quality at public beaches to detect potentially harmful bacteria and other contaminants. These conditions can change quickly due to rainfall, runoff, or other environmental factors, so it's a good idea to check before heading out.

You can use the Florida Healthy Beaches Lookup tool to find up-to-date water quality reports for your local beach. This resource helps you make informed decisions to protect your health and enjoy a safe day by the shore.