Everything You Need to Know about Beach Flags & Swimming Safety

It’s hard to top a proper beach day, especially when you’re on none other than Florida’s Most Relaxing Beach. But if you’re not aware of the Beach Warning Flags and what they mean, you can take a good beach day and make it a real bummer, real fast.

Here are the Warning Flags and their meanings:

Green = Low Hazard Levels and Calm Conditions

When the flag flying is green, these are the best conditions to go dive in and have a blast.

Purple = Dangerous Marine Life Spotted

Purple flags mean to be more aware of your surroundings. Usually the purple flag indicates that marine life–like jellyfish–have been sighted, and being stung by those are no fun.

Yellow = Medium Hazard Levels Due to High Surf and/or Strong Currents

Like a traffic light, yellow means caution. These go up if the surf is higher than normal and the winds and currents are strong. On these days, it’s best to stay closer to shore if you’re not a strong swimmer.

Single Red = High Hazard Levels Due to High Surf and/or Strong Currents

This flag is the amped up yellow. The surf is much higher than normal and the wind and currents can be very strong. The beach is not closed, but all swimmers should be careful and try to stick close to shore.

Double Red = Water Closed to Public Due to Danger

When you see the Double Red Flag, NO ONE should be out in the surf. This means very dangerous conditions, which usually means a big storm is out on the Gulf and coming near Navarre Beach. The Double Red doesn’t fly often, but when it does, it’s actually against the law to go into the water–you could be fined or arrested.