Red flags warning of dangerous surf conditions are flying up and down Broward beaches, with strong winds forecast again for the weekend. Swimmers are being urged to exercise caution before going into the water.
The warning comes after a swimmer drowned off Pompano Beach last Sunday. Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue reported that more than 100 people had to be rescued last weekend alone.
High winds, rough surf, and rip currents kept many swimmers out of the water Friday. Pompano Beach had closed swimming on Thursday due to rough conditions but reopened the beaches on Friday, though lifeguards continued to fly red flags. Purple flags were also raised to warn beachgoers of the danger of jellyfish stings.
Sophia Mouktani, visiting with her family from Canada, kept her 3- and 7-year-old children close to shore. “They have life vests, fully equipped, but they are not going in the water today for sure,” Mouktani said.
Down the road in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, where there are no lifeguard stations, the beach was packed, and the rough seas created ideal conditions for surfers.
As spring break ends, Emmett McCullough, his wife, and their two children, ages 7 and 2, will be headed back to Queens, New York. McCullough said he would not let his 2-year-old in the water, but the 7-year-old could go in “a little bit” if he was with him.
A couple of miles south at Fort Lauderdale beach, lifeguards stood at the water’s edge to inform swimmers of the danger.
“It’s extremely dangerous, we are keeping people in waist-deep water,” said Ocean Rescue Lt. David Ochoa. He added that they were “encouraging body surfing if you are fit”.
Red flags are posted in the sand to warn of rip currents, which Ochoa described as “powerful channels of fast-moving water that can pull you out to sea”. He warned that if the current forecast holds true, the area “could be a repeat” of last weekend’s more than 100 rescues.
Ochoa urged beachgoers to “touch base with a lifeguard” first, “look at flags, and keep children at arm’s reach at all times”.