Staying safe at the beach

As Orlando’s closest beach, Cocoa Beach is a popular day trip destination for many Orlando visitors, and with temperatures heating up (and the ocean water by the coastal areas becoming bathwater warm) a lot of people are flocking to the area beaches to frolic in the waves for a day. With beach season in full swing, here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

• Pay attention to the flag warnings: A green flag means the seas are calm, while a yellow flag warns of moderate surf and rip current conditions. Red flags are high surf warnings and dangerous rip currents, and the purple flags indicate dangerous marine life (usually jellyfish, but the flags will go up for shark sightings as well).
• Bring sunscreen—and keep reapplying it all day: Whether or you spending a day at the beach or a theme park, sunscreen is a necessity for outdoor activities in the Sunshine State. Sunscreen will be cheaper—and in abundant quantities--in local groceries stores than tourist gift shops.
• Know what to do in a rip current: Rip currents are most dangerous to swimmers because they attempt to swim against the current to get back directly to shore and exhaust themselves. If you are caught in a rip current swim parallel to shore and gradually make your way back to land. Swimming close to a lifeguard station is another way to ensure that you won’t be “on your own” in the water.

Springtime is a wonderful time to enjoy the natural beauty of the sun, sand and surf that draw millions of visitors to Central Florida each year. By keeping safe in and out of the water, you will ensure that your next Orlando area vacation will be one to remember.