Staying Safe on the Beach

The following is a great piece on staying safe on the beach by Britt Reints, a featured writer on UpTake Orlando’s Getaway Crew. Britt walks you through all the different flag colors and what they mean. – Sebastien

If you head to any public beach in the state of Florida, you’ll see a flag in one of four colors designed to tell you whether or not the water is safe for swimming.  All public beaches use the same color system so that you’ll know exactly what the warnings mean no matter which beach you’re visiting.

Of course, you still have to know what each color means.

Florida Beaches Warning Flags – What Each Color Means

Purple – Dangerous Marine Life

Yep, we’ve got stuff swimming in our waters that can bite, sting or otherwise harm you.

Green – Low Hazard

It’s important to note that “low hazard” still means to “exercise caution”.  The oceans and gulf waters are constantly changing and you should always be alert when swimming at the beach.

Yellow – Medium Hazard

You’ll see this flag if the surf is high or the current is strong.  If you’re not on a surf board, you may be safest staying in waist deep water.

Red – High Hazard

Bring a bucket and build a sand castle or go for a walk along the edge of the water, but save body surfing for another day.  There are actually two red flags.  One red flag has a no swimming symbol to indicate that the water is closed to the public.

In addition to paying attention to the hazard flags, what other beach safety tips should visitors keep in mind?

Photo and article by Britt Reints