According to a Mobile Register article this morning Orange Beach is adopting a standard five flag beach and surf warning system. It's a standard system used by beaches elsewhere along the gulf coast.
Dauphin Island is notably not among those communities using the system, which alerts beach goers to potential hazards according to the color of the flag being flown.
A green flag signifies calm conditions, the all clear. Yellow means conditions are moderately risky. Red indicates strong, dangerous surf and currents. A double red flag signals that the water is closed due to rough current and surf conditions. Finally, a purple flag means that dangerous marine life is present.
It's a fairly simple system. Unless the flag is green, or possibly yellow if you're a strong swimmer, don't go swimming.
It seems a natural decision Dauphin Island should adopt such a system to reassure beach visitors accustomed to the system.
The current building boom on Dauphin Island will bring more and more people to the beaches. Dauphin Island's public beaches can get really busy on nice weekends, adding significant challenge to a lifeguard's job. As more of Dauphin Island's beaches potentially become public and as more and more people discover Dauphin Island as a vacation destination, it makes sense to adopt such a system.