Beach Safety
We love our beautiful island, but it’s important to remain aware of the dangers of living near the ocean. Emerald Isle in particular sees a lot of rip currents and windy conditions. The majority of the summer we have a wonderful wide beach, but we do encounter high winds and dangerous currents. Read the post below for some highlights on beach safety.
Beach Flag System
You may have noticed the beach flags across the island; several years ago, the whole island launched a standardized beach flag system to increase beach safety. Here are a couple things to know about the beach flag system on the island:
Flags are flown from Memorial Day through Labor Day. You will not see flags or lifeguards outside of this timeframe unless the beach is under red or double red flag conditions.
Emerald Isle will always fly a yellow flag at minimum due to the risk of rip currents in the area. You will never see a green flag on the island.
YELLOW flags indicate moderate hazards and the public should use caution in the ocean.
RED flags indicate that there is a high risk of strong currents or other hazards. The public is advised to stay out of the water on red flag days.
DOBULE RED flags indicate extremely high risk of strong currents or other hazards. Under double red flags, the public is prohibited from swimming on the beaches. Yes, you can be fined or arrested for entering the water under double red flags.
PURPLE flags indicate an abundance of hazardous marine life in the area. These flags will be flown at specific locations, however it is rare to see a purple flag.
If you are unsure of water conditions, you should contact the Indian Beach Fire Department at (252) 247-6700
You can also check surf conditions for the area through NOAA at this link
Rip Currents
Rip currents are a common hazard on the island. They are powerful channel currents that pull water out to sea. The Town of Indian Beach has a great video with more information on how to handle rip currents and what to look out for.
Emergency Services
Indian Beach does not have lifeguards on duty year round, so it’s important to take notice of the rescue poles distributed along the beach. The rescue poles are close to the shore and are equipped with water rescue devices in case of emergency. These poles are also marked with an identifiable number that you can reference in case of emergency.
Accessible Access
While the Ocean Club does not have private accessible beach access, there are accessible points on Indian Beach. The Indian Beach fire department also has beach wheelchairs available, which can be arranged by calling them directly at (252) 257-7994.