Double red beach flag meaning is what? Is the beach CLOSED?! 🌞 Florida travel blog (and Michigan!)

Hi there!

The ocean is powerful!

You can’t always see what’s going on underwater from the shore.

There are many beaches that put up beach flags as a way to let you know what the conditions in the water are like.

The beach flags are different colors based on the ocean conditions.

This allows you to take additional precautions when swimming at the beach.

👆 Double red flag at Henderson Beach State Park, one of the best beaches in Destin Florida.

To put it simply, you can think of beach flags like traffic lights:

And yes, a red flag at the beach means STOP!

I have seen double red flags at the beach in Florida.

And relatively new to Michigan, you may see double red flags at Lake Michigan beaches and other beaches along the Great Lakes.

You may see double red beach flags at Myrtle Beach.

Not all beach towns that have a beach flag warning system will use double red flags.

A single red flag might be the highest warning.

But if you do see double red flags, know what it means!

What does a double red flag mean at the beach?

There are single red beach flags and double red beach flags.

A double red flag at the beach means to REALLY STOP!

That would be a STOP from entering the water.

A double red flag at the beach means that due to water conditions of very high surf and/or currents, there is a very high hazard in the water.

Can you swim if there’s a double red flag?

You are not allowed to go swimming if you see a double red flag at the beach.

The difference between a single red beach flag and a double red beach flag is that a double red flag means that the conditions are so dangerous that there is absolutely no swimming allowed.

If you see a double red flag at the beach, it means you are not even allowed to enter the water.

If you are in a place like Florida where they use double red flags as part of their warning system and you see a single red beach flag, although you are allowed to enter the water, it’s still really not safe for swimming.

Any sort of red flag at the beach means that even standing in knee deep water can be dangerous

You are better off not entering the water if there is a single red beach flag, but you are allowed to.

You may see surfers in the water under a single red beach flag warning.

👆 Regular single red flag at the beach. The water conditions are dangerous, but in Florida you are allowed to enter the water if it’s a single red flag. A double red flag means you are not allowed to enter the water.

👆 Surfers in the water with a single red flag warning at Blue Mountain Beach in Florida.

In more official beach flag terms, here is what a single red flag at the beach means according to Florida State Parks:

Single red flag means high hazard, which could mean high surf and/or strong currents.

This is what a double red flag at the beach means:

Water is closed to the public.

Double red flags mean absolutely no swimming because of high winds and undertow currents.

👆 A double red flag at the beach means that there is a high hazard and the water is closed to the public. There is absolutely no swimming allowed because of high winds and undertow currents.

👆 What the Emerald Coast of Florida wants you to know about beach flags before you go swimming in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island… and anywhere else!

Additionally, depending on local enforcement, there may be a fine if you do go into the water when there is a double red beach flag.

Going swimming or even just entering the water when there is a double red flag could result in a $500 fine in some places.

Is the beach closed if there’s a double red flag?

If you see a double red flag at the beach, it does not mean that the beach is closed.

You can still go to the beach if you see a double red flag.

It just means that you can’t get in the water.

So even if there’s a double red flag, you can walk on the beach.

Of course, there may be extreme times when the local town decides that the weather danger is so great that the beach does get closed to discourage people from going to the beach at all.

But in general, a double red flag does not automatically mean that the beach is closed.

Rip currents

Again, the ocean is powerful!

To be dramatic, you can DIE because of rip currents, and the risk is even greater when there’s a double red flag warning at the beach!

There is a story of tourists from Mississippi who were in the water at Panama City Beach in Florida when they were swept into the water by a rip current.

There was a double red flag at the beach at the time.

It is reported that they were only knee deep in the water when it happened. One of them died. Read the story.

So it is important to know what a double red flag means and to stay out of the water when you see it.

But rip currents can exist not only when there’s a double red beach flag, but even at lower beach flag warnings.

So just because you see a green flag or yellow flag at the beach doesn’t mean that there can’t be rip currents, although yes, the risk is lower than a double red flag.

So know before you go!

According to the National Ocean Service, rip currents account for 80% of beach rescues.

Before heading off to the beach, talk with your group about what to do if you find yourself in a rip current!

In short:

Don’t fight the current.
Swim parallel to shore.

Learn about rip currents from the National Ocean Service (NOAA).

👆 What the Emerald Coast of Florida wants you to know about rip currents before you go swimming! Screenshot the above and send it to the people you’ll be going to the beach with! Or just send this whole article!

If the beach you are going to has a beach flag, take extra caution based on the color of the beach flag!

Even if the flag indicates generally “calm conditions,” it’s still the ocean, so take care!

And that’s a bit about a double red beach flag!

More for your beach vacation:

STAY SAFE AT THE BEACH IF THERE’S A DOUBLE RED BEACH FLAG!

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