Everyone that comes to Destin, Florida for vacation will end up on the beach at some point. It is why we are here.  It can be one of the safest places once you know the dangers that come with it.  Only a handful full of things, heaven forbid, can actually happen to someone that is beach related.  The most important will be talked about in this blog.

Lets start with the rip tide.  It occurs when the waves generated offshore meet the beach then begin to recede back to sea; the waves along the beach form small rivers that rarely are more than 30 feet wide .  They can reach up to 1000 feet offshore depending on the sea state.  Typically the current in the rip tide will be up to 3mph.  In case you get caught in one first of all do not panic, realize that it happens to many people and the only way out is to stay calm and float with it until it lessens, swim parallel to the beach until you are out of it, then swim back to shore or shout and wave for assistance.

All along the Beach in Destin, Florida are Warning Flags which have a code for different conditions.  Green means conditions are favorable for swimming, low hazard.  Yellow is a medium hazard.  Red, high hazard, red over red means Danger! water closed to public use.  Purple is flown when marine pests are present usually jellyfish.  Once a warning flag is hoisted it just means you should be aware of what is going on.  Before jumping in the water take a few minutes and observe the conditions.  You will soon be able to see which way the current is moving and where the rip tide is occurring.

Visit www.destinbeachsafety.com for more information.  knowing the do’s and don’ts will keep you safe, out of trouble, and coming back for more.  Just some basic rules will facilitate just what I am talking about.  Never swim alone.  Keep an eye out on small children.  Don’t bring glass.  Keep an eye out for jellyfish. Last but not least wear sunscreen.  So many times I see vacationers having to stay out of the sun because they got too burned.  Don’t let that easily preventable mishap from occurring.  Drink lots of water also.   Most importantly, don’t let the beach scare you.  Learn about it and come marinate with the rest of us.