Beach safety 101: From strong water currents to hot sand and even flying umbrellas, here are tips to enjoy the summer getaway

A beach day is a rite of passage during the summer months. While it’s wonderful to lie out in the sun with a cold beverage and a new book, or cool off in the ocean, beaches come with some surprising health hazards too. Whether it’s the risk of heat stroke and dehydration or the threat of rip currents (not to mention potentially deadly umbrellas on a windy day), there are just a few things you need to keep in mind to have the best, safest beach day.

Fortunately, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s what to know before you head for the sand and surf.

🌞 Protect yourself from the sun

Most people prefer their beach days to be full of sunshine, but that also means a greater risk of skin damage. Wearing sunscreens with high SPF values is crucial to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, experts told Yahoo, as doing so can prevent both sunburn and long-term damage like skin cancer and premature aging.

Both mineral and chemical sunscreens are good options, based on your personal preference. (Mineral sunscreen often leaves a white cast, while chemical options may be less favorable to people with sensitive skin.) Just make sure that whichever one you use is a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30. Reapply at least a shot glass-size amount for your whole body every two hours, or more often if you’re swimming or sweating.

And sunscreen isn’t your only line of defense: Experts recommend wearing sun-protective clothing, like a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection to shield your eyes from harmful rays. Opt for long, loose and lightweight fabrics to help cover exposed skin, and consider clothing labeled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating for added defense against UV radiation.

🥵 Prevent heat-related illness

The beach may come with a sea breeze, but spending time outdoors when it’s hot comes with a higher risk of heat-related illness, which occurs when your body struggles to cool itself down. Risk for heat illness goes up when you exert yourself in high temperatures and are dehydrated.

If you’re hanging at the beach on a sweltering summer day, avoid overexerting yourself with activities. (Save the beach volleyball for a cooler day, for example.) Instead, keep your body as shaded as possible, such as under a pop-up tent or umbrella. (More on how to ensure you’re doing so as safely as possible in a moment!) You can also keep yourself cool with a battery-powered fan and/or mister.

Staying hydrated is also crucial — and that doesn’t mean just drinking more water. To maintain hydration, you need to replace electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium, which are lost through sweat. Adding an electrolyte powder to your water or eating electrolyte-rich foods like bananas and salted nuts can help your body absorb and retain fluids. It’s also smart to avoid alcohol and limit caffeine, as both can worsen dehydration.

Some things to keep on your radar are the symptoms of heat stroke, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body can no longer regulate its temperature. If you or someone you’re with experiences confusion, dizziness, nausea, a rapid pulse, hot and dry skin, or stops sweating despite the heat, make sure to move them to a cooler place immediately and try to lower their body temperature with cool water or ice packs. If they lose consciousness, have a seizure, or show signs of severe confusion, call 9-1-1 right away.

🍉 Keep your food safe

Bringing snacks to the beach is the best — but to avoid foodborne illness, you need to adhere to food safety measures. The most important one is to ensure that your food stays at a safe temperature, aka outside of what the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls the danger zone — between 40 and 140°F.

Food scientist Bryan Quoc Le previously told Yahoo that food that’s eaten fresh or cold should be “kept on ice before serving, and there should always be enough ice so that it does not all melt” — think perishable foods like deli meats, dairy products and cut fruits. Doing so should keep the food at 40°F or below.

And avoid leaving food out in the sun for more than two hours — or just one hour if it’s over 90°F — as bacteria can grow rapidly in warm conditions. When in doubt, toss anything that’s been sitting out too long.

Outside of making sure your food is stored at the proper temperature, also do your best to keep your hands as clean as possible before eating. Since soap and running water may not be available at the beach, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol as a backup for cleaning your hands before handling food.

🌊 Watch for rip currents and practice good water safety

Want to go for a dip at the beach? Practice water safety. Always swim near a lifeguard, never swim alone and keep an eye on notices for dangerous ocean conditions, such as flags, that can indicate whether the water is acceptable to swim in. (A bright bathing suit can also help catch a lifeguard’s eye in case you ever need assistance — just in case you needed an extra excuse to shop this summer.)

If you’re not a strong swimmer, stick to shallow areas or wear a flotation device — though remember that they’re not foolproof. If you’re planning on spending time at the beach, you may also want to consider swim lessons — they could save your life.

And whether or not you’re a strong swimmer, it’s important to know the power of rip currents, which are fast-moving channels of water that flow away from the shore and can quickly carry swimmers out to sea, even in seemingly calm conditions. About 100 people a year die in rip currents in the United States, and over 80% of rescues by surf beach lifeguards in the U.S. are in response to rip currents, according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association.

Before wading into the water at the beach, check the National Weather Service’s local rip current forecast. Signs of a rip current include a gap of darker, calmer water between breaking waves, a noticeable change in water color, or foam and debris moving out to sea.

If you get caught in a rip current, stay calm, swim parallel to shore until you’re out of the current, then head back in with the waves — don’t try to fight it directly. And if you see someone else struggling, call for help and toss them something that floats. Never put yourself at risk by trying to rescue them without proper skills or equipment.

🦟 Avoid beach bugs

No one’s Instagram pics of a beach day include flies — but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Common beach bugs include sand flies, mosquitoes and beach fleas. To avoid them, use insect repellent, cover up with lightweight clothing and avoid sitting directly on the sand by using a blanket or beach chair. You should also avoid pools of standing water, which attract bugs.

🪼 …And sea critters

It’s not just bugs to be concerned about: The ocean may also contain some sea life you’d be better off not interacting with. Here’s what to do if you have an unpleasant sea life encounter in the ocean — and how to cope if you do:

• Jellyfish: While not every jellyfish stings, the ones that do cause painful stings that lead to red, burning welts. Soak the area in hot water for relief.

• Stingrays: Stingrays tend to chill in shallow water or even under sand. They sting when stepped on, which can lead to a sharp puncture wound. Soak your stung area in hot water, and seek medical attention. You can shuffle your feet while walking so you don’t accidentally step on one.

• Sea urchins: Stepping on one of these spiky creatures can leave painful spines stuck in your skin. Soak the area in hot water or vinegar and seek medical care if spines remain stuck.

• Sea lice: These are tiny jellyfish larvae that cause a rash under your swimsuit. Feeling the itch? Rinse off, wash your suit and use ice or antihistamines for relief.

🏖️ Stay safe from umbrellas

While these shade-producing items may not appear dangerous, a gust of wind can send one flying, leading to potentially serious injuries for anyone in its path. Recently, a New Jersey lifeguard was hospitalized after being impaled by a rogue beach umbrella.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stepped in with new safety guidelines for beach umbrellas. When you’re buying or renting an umbrella, look for labels to ensure it’s compliant with the regulatory agency, and always follow the setup instructions carefully to keep it secure.

Once you bring your umbrella to the beach, you can keep yourself and others safe by securing the umbrella deep in the sand. (An umbrella anchor can also keep your umbrella steady in the sand.) Always angle the umbrella into the wind and never leave it unattended while open — and, if the wind suddenly picks up or your umbrella starts to wobble, close it right away to prevent it from blowing away.

🏝️ Watch out for hot sand

It doesn’t have to be very hot outside for the sand at the beach to heat up — in fact, while the temperature outside may be a reasonable 90°F, the sand can be more than 120°F on your poor bare feet. Since human skin starts to feel pain at 111°F, and first-degree burns occur at 118°F, it’s important to protect yourself.

Southwest Florida podiatrists with the Foot and Ankle Group previously told Palm Beach Daily News that there are a few ways to protect your feet if you must cross hot sand. One surprising tip? Skip the flip-flops. While they may be the go-to beach shoe, they easily trap sand against your feet, which can lead to burns. Instead, pick shoes with thicker plastic, rubber or foam soles like Crocs.

No shoes to speak of? In a pinch, you can dig your feet deeper into the sand, where it’s cooler, and shuffle across the beach toward the water. Or, wet your feet before walking across hot sand, as damp feet can handle the heat for longer periods of time.

🪏 Reconsider digging that big hole

For those of us who prefer their beach days to be more taxing and less relaxing, there’s always the option of digging a hole. Unfortunately for those people, holes at the beach are a major hazard, experts say.

That’s because holes are easily able to collapse inwards, which can lead people to be buried in the sand. In 2024, a 7-year-old girl in Florida died when a beach hole collapsed, burying her and her brother, who survived the ordeal. It’s a tragic situation that happens to at least a few people per year. Hole collapses are especially dangerous because sand is heavy: Just one cubic foot of dry sand can weigh up to 90 to 110 pounds. And wet sand is even heavier at up to 130 pounds — the equivalent of 20 bricks pressing down on you.

If you must dig a hole at the beach, abide by this rule: Never dig a hole any deeper than the knees of the shortest person in the group. This way, should the hole collapse on someone, they can easily get themselves out safely. And make sure to always fill in your holes completely before leaving the beach, so no one trips and falls in.

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