Our flags fly high every day with messages for beach visitors and residents alike. Leave Only Footprints hopes each beachgoer will leave the beach with all their gear in tow, plus great memories.

One way to have a great beach day is knowing what each flag color means and abiding by its meaning. Your beach getaway will be all the better for it. Public beaches at Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Gulf State Park fly the flags, and many condos and hotels follow suit.

Yellow: Medium hazard. Moderate surf and/or currents are present in the Gulf of Mexico.

Purple: Dangerous marine life is present.

Single red flag: High hazard. High surf and/or strong currents are present.

Double red flag: The Gulf of Mexico is closed to swimmers. Under Gulf Shores and Orange Beach city ordinances, it is illegal to enter the Gulf of Mexico within the corporate limits of either city when two red flags are displayed.

Regardless of which flags are displayed, swimmers should follow these rules for swimming in the Gulf of Mexico:

  • Never swim alone. Don’t swim too far from shore.LOF march blog flag
  • Don’t wear shiny jewelry or clothing in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Stay within the designated swimming areas. Avoid swimming near piers, platforms or pilings. Be careful when swimming between sandbars or in steep drop-offs.
  • Don’t swim in areas near fishermen. Avoid swimming in areas where schools of fish are present.
  • Diving sea birds are a good indication of areas to avoid.
  • Don’t go swimming during dusk, nighttime, twilight or predawn hours.
  • Use extra caution when water is murky.
  • Beware of rip currents (channelized currents of water flowing away from shore at surf beaches). They typically form at breaks in sandbars and near structures such as jetties and piers.
  • If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you are able to swim out of the rip current. You may also float or tread water. Once free of the rip current, swim at an angle back to shore to avoid getting caught in the rip current again.

For current surf conditions in Gulf Shores, call 251-968-TIDE or visit gulfshoresal.gov.

For current surf conditions in Orange Beach, call 251-981-SURF.