My children immediately noticed that something was different.
“Mom, what’s happening?”
I didn’t know what to tell them.
The lifeguards weren’t screaming, and there was no obvious storm approaching. But their expressions were serious enough that parents began gathering their children and moving farther inland.
Some people started asking one another the same question:
What does a purple flag mean?
The answer isn’t always as simple as people think.
What Does a Purple Beach Flag Mean?
In many beach warning systems, a purple flag indicates dangerous marine life in the water.
That can include jellyfish, Portuguese man o’ war, stingrays, or other potentially hazardous sea creatures.
The exact meaning can vary depending on the country, beach authority, or local flag system, so the safest approach is always to follow the instructions being given by the lifeguards at that specific beach.
A purple flag generally isn’t the same thing as a warning about ordinary waves.
