TYBEE ISLAND — A Labor Day swim is off the table at Tybee Island. Lifeguards upgraded beach warning flags to double red Monday, barring swimming as strong rip currents and longshore currents made the water extremely dangerous, according to Tybee Island Ocean Rescue.
The swimming prohibition comes with another hazard: lightning in the area. Ocean Rescue said lifeguards will remain off the beach until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike detected within 12 miles.
The double-red flags mean no swimming is allowed at this time. Ocean Rescue also posted purple flags warning of jellyfish and advised anyone stung to stop by a lifeguard tower for vinegar-and-water spray.
For visitors deciding whether to head to the beach, the warning covers more than rough water. Dangerous currents, lightning and jellyfish all appear in Monday’s conditions report, with lifeguards waiting for the lightning restriction to clear before returning to the beach.
Ocean Rescue recommends using a lightning-tracking app to monitor nearby strikes. Beachgoers can check Safe Beach Day’s Tybee Island page for the latest water conditions, warning flags and lifeguard staffing.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
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- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
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