It’s beach season, and many people rely on beach flags to gauge water conditions. While these flags are helpful, there are still hidden hazards swimmers should be aware of. Many beaches use a flag system to alert the public to water risks—but a green flag doesn’t always mean it’s completely safe.
Even if conditions look calm, hazards can still be present beneath the surface. A green flag means “low risk,” but not “no risk.”
Dave Benjamin with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project says a green flag really means, “proceed with caution.” He explains that while some organizations, like the National Weather Service, have moved away from using the green flag, others still rely on it—leading to confusion among beachgoers.
Benjamin believes the best way to resolve that confusion is to have lifeguards managing the flag system. But whether or not lifeguards are present, beachgoers should always check the current water conditions—and one of the best ways to do that is simply to ask.
Lifeguards are usually aware of underwater hazards like rip currents and drop-offs. Wind plays a major role in creating various currents, including rip currents, longshore currents, and offshore currents. “Knowing how to swim,” Benjamin says, “is not water safety,” emphasizing that swimmers need to be aware of the wind, the currents it creates, and the waves they drive. Some of these can quickly become overwhelming and lead to drowning.
“Cartoons, TV shows and movies have inaccurately portrayed drowning for quite some time,” Benjamin explains. “A drowning person cannot yell and they cannot wave, they can't yell because they're choking on water. They’re gasping for air.” Benjamin and his team educate the public on what drowning really looks like—and how to survive it. The “Flip, Float, and Follow” technique is one method they teach to help improve survival in the event of drowning.
Benjamin’s passion for water safety stems from personal experience. In December 2010, he nearly drowned while surfing in the icy waters of Lake Michigan. A powerful wave pulled him under and left him fighting for his life. He relied on his water safety knowledge to survive, spending over 40 minutes in the freezing water before making it out.
That life-changing experience led him to commit fully to water safety education. Since then, he’s worked to ensure that people—especially in the Great Lakes region—are better prepared and informed.
As of July 8th, there have already been 17 drowning incidents in Lake Michigan. Benjamin warns that the number could rise by another 30 before the year is over.
He and his team continue to advocate for water safety education to be included in school curriculums. He urges, “It's just very important that we get the basics of this. All this stuff with water safety is really simple, easy to understand information.”