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Surviving the Dog Days of Summer in Florida

By Lee Ford

Real Estate Agent with Re/Max WaterMarke, Property By Ford

May 19, 2017 07:40 AM

Summer is always fun in Florida! The first official day of summer is Wednesday, June 21. But in Florida, it is truly an "endless summer" with the mild seasons that occur here. We have a favorable climate and environment which allows all who live and visit here to enjoy their time in the sun!

Surfing
Boating
Fishing
Swimming
Running
Bicycling
Dancing in the streets
Lounging on the beach

...just a few Floridian pastimes and I'm sure you partake in at least one of these activities to get through the dog days of summer. As with anything, we must remember to be cautious whilst having fun in the Florida sun!

Protect Yourself From the Sun

We all want to work on our tan, and spend countless hours in the sun- without any protection for our skin. Did you know that the skin is our body's largest organ? Without it, we would quite literally evaporate due to environmental elements. Take good care of your skin using any of the following items to prevent sunburns, long-term damage, premature skin-aging, and skin cancer:

Sunscreen
Long-sleeved shirts
Hats
Sunglasses
Umbrellas

Read more about the effectiveness of shade and sunscreen from NPR here.

Practicing Beach Safety

As a former ocean rescue beach lifeguard, beach goers seemed to always ask the same question:

"What does that [color] flag mean?"

Below is a simple breakdown of the flag colors and their meanings:

Flag on Lifeguard Tower

It means the lifeguard is on duty. Occasionally the flag will be waved, dropped, or at a 90 degree angle on the tower. These actions are signals conveyed by the lifeguard to other personnel about emergency information.

Green Flag

Calm ocean conditions; swim near a lifeguard.

Yellow Flag

Moderate ocean conditions. Waves, long-shore currents, and rip currents are present; danger may increase greatly depending on tide and/or location. Check with a lifeguard before entering the water.

Red Flag

Dangerous Ocean Conditions. Persistent large waves, strong long-shore currents, and strong rip currents.

Double Red Flag

No water activity allowed. Water is closed.

Purple Flag

Dangerous marine life present*

Learn more about Frequently Asked Questions at jaxbeachlifeguard.org/faq/

Dangers of Marine Life

*Although there is always dangerous marine life in the ocean, when the purple flag is seen flown, beach goers should be aware that there is an influx of dangerous marine life at the time.

One of the most common marine life beach sighting is the jellyfish. The two types that frequent the North Florida beaches are the Portugese Man-O-War and the Cannonball jellyfish also known as cabbagehead. Though the Portugese Man-O-War is a beautiful hue of blue and purple and unmistakable, it is extremely painful and might land you a visit at the doctor's office, but is rarely deadly.