Grayton Beach Drowning

Not wearing a life jacket is just plain crazy. In my job I sadly have to investigate drownings and it's always so tragic and senseless because a simple life jacket would have saved a life in nearly every case. The new light weight auto-inflatable life jackets are so easy to wear, so light-weight and you can't even tell you have one one. They only inflate if you hit the water. No excuse for not wearing a life jacket.

Double dumb that anyone would go out on a red flag day.

How sad for the family

This is an extrememly sad story. This happens many times every year around Florida. I have to say that more regulation is not the answer though. People need to make more intelligent decisions. When they put out a red flag it means it's dangerous. People are given an obvious sign here and still decide to do as they see fit. I have no problem with that honestly. I think it's the same with enforcing a seatbelt law. I just don't think we need to put so many regulations on someone risking their own life.
Just another perspective.

A sad story indeed. Check out the product on this website --- an instantly inflatable belt pack floatation device. It's a little expensive but a worthwile investment. Would be great if they could come up with a more affordable product.

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sm3020.html

"know before you go" Way to set the example, ladies.:clap_1:


BTW, this sign is posted at the entrance to the walkover in Grayton Beach State Park (camping access).

"know before you go" Way to set the example, ladies.:clap_1:

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

very sad way to start a beautiful year

How about getting the weather service to issue and alert

They do it if there is a threat.........plan and simple


This is a threat to all of us. how about the same sence of urgency ??

Last night, I heard that there was a third drowning victim in the area on that day, but I haven't heard any details, other than the victim was unidentified. Has anyone else heard this? Any details?

So very sad-My prayers are with the families of the lost swimmers.

My prayers here too...

But, we have many visitors who, even with Seemore the Safety Crab's happy dance, have no clue what the beach flags mean. Or, worse yet, don't care. Many of our guests (not all, but you'd be surprised) feel that since they paid $$$$ to be here; we should guarantee them a damned good time.

I work in the office that collects the fines for citations issued, and you would NOT believe some of the nasty, hateful notes and comments that we receive with the payments for beach citations.

Yes, this is so sad.

We framed the Seymore crab beach flag information and put the framed picture by the dining room table hoping guests will pay attention. I think putting another one in the kids' bathroom as well as parents' bathroom would be useful, too. If parents don't listen, sometimes kids will remind them (that's how we stopped drinking soda pop at our house -- it was pressure from the kids who learned that in school!).

We love the panhandle and especially Grayton, but anymore, we just walk ankle deep in the water. About 10 years maybe, we began noticing all of the 'seaweed' in the water and that was discouraging - so we would stay out on those days.
Then a few years ago, either the water has changed dramatically or the drownings are being publicized further away. A woman in Indiana drowned just before we came down there.
But not just the panhandle. We were in Fort Lauderdale (for the Orange Bowl and in one day, there was one drowning and more people rescued than usually in a month.
The waters aren't so friendly any more. I'm not one for a pool when I go to Florida, but that might become a search criteria for an occasional cooling off.
We do like to bring our bikes so we're not one dimensional.
These deaths are so disconcerting at any time, but can you image if you are on vacation, away from home, and have to deal with this.
I don't think people will quit going to the beaches - yes there will be some who go elsewhere, but anymore, people do so many other things.
Yes, please alert people to the risks somehow.

We love the panhandle and especially Grayton, but anymore, we just walk ankle deep in the water. About 10 years maybe, we began noticing all of the 'seaweed' in the water and that was discouraging - so we would stay out on those days.
Then a few years ago, either the water has changed dramatically or the drownings are being publicized further away. A woman in Indiana drowned just before we came down there.
But not just the panhandle. We were in Fort Lauderdale (for the Orange Bowl and in one day, there was one drowning and more people rescued than usually in a month.
The waters aren't so friendly any more. I'm not one for a pool when I go to Florida, but that might become a search criteria for an occasional cooling off.
We do like to bring our bikes so we're not one dimensional.
These deaths are so disconcerting at any time, but can you image if you are on vacation, away from home, and have to deal with this.
I don't think people will quit going to the beaches - yes there will be some who go elsewhere, but anymore, people do so many other things.
Yes, please alert people to the risks somehow.

Beware the seaweed soaked beaches of death

Again, I agree with you all around, but if they don't see 2 red flags would a black one get their attention any more? It would to those who see the flags a lot, but to those who are only here 1 week a year? Who knows? It would be worth a shot though!

I do know one thing; when folks are able to get away and come down for their 1 or 2 weeks of vacation a year, come double red flag or high water they're going to get in some ocean time. I can't tell you the number of people last year I had to suggest it was a good idea to get out of the water as lightning was hitting. Nobody needs a flag to know lightning will kill you but there they are, swimming in a lightning storm.

To borrow a quote from Upton Sinclair which appears in An Inconvenient Truth, "You can't make a man understand something if their salary depends upon them not understanding it." Replace "salary" with "enjoyment" and it may hold relevence to our discussion.

I'm for whatever saves lives. Good discussion, unfortunate day.

Two ideas:

1. Get the airplanes that fly with the banners behind them promoting local restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. fly a "Beach Closed", "Dangerous Waters", or maybe even "There May or May Not Be Sharks in the Water". Anything to get people out of the water.

2. Since the sheriff's department and fire/lifeguard departments are really undermanned, why not create a network of volunteers that would be able to go to their designated beach area when red flags are posted and advise people on the beach.

Realize that most people on the beach usually dont turn around, locate the nearest flag, and check the color before going in the water.

These are just ideas. Aside from these and the existing flag system, residents are just going to get out of their comfort zone and tell people around us that they need to get out of the water when red flags are flying.

Two ideas:

1. Get the airplanes that fly with the banners ... fly a "There May or May Not Be Sharks in the Water". Anything to get people out of the water.

2. Since the sheriff's department and fire/lifeguard departments are really undermanned, why not create a network of volunteers that would be able to go to their designated beach area when red flags are posted and advise people on the beach.


Aside from these and the existing flag system, residents are just going to get out of their comfort zone and tell people around us that they need to get out of the water when red flags are flying.

Just curious as to how you think it would benefit anyone by having a plane fly a banner which states that there "may not be sharks in the water?"

On the other idea, I don't tell anyone about the flags unless they ask, or if I overhear their conversation questioning the flags' meanings. People often tell me that they are pretty much told to F O when informing "swimmers" that they shouldn't be in the water.

Days like today, when the currents are pushing at least 3 mph and the seas are rough as they were, I am surprised to see that the double reds weren't flying. I just don't get that. On recent Chamber of Commerce days (picture perfect flat water), I've seen yellow flages flying, and today, not closed water?

I'm really getting to the point where my philosophy is "sink or swim, or stay out of the *^#@#@ %$%@ water!"

I'm really getting to the point where my philosophy is "sink or swim, or stay out of the *^#@#@ %$%@ water!"

My feelings exactly!!!! We can not govern everything.

consistancy to our flag system is a key. when we have a red flag out on clearly a green day we have problems. Last week, I had family in town that stayed on the beach.
Two of the days, the water was flat as a lake, I even took my 6 year old niece out on a surf board, yet we had a red flag. I witnessed 4 families heading down to the water and stating that the flag should be green. Two days later when the water got up, and a red flag was needed and flying, people did not believe it. We must have a consistent approach.

Aren't the flags raised on a given day the same throughout Walton County regardless of individual beach conditions? Perhaps if one area, no matter how small, is in yellow or red conditions then the entire county gets the same flag.

I have no knowledge of this being the case, but I could understand it as currents move and they wouldn't want to fly green flags everywhere if a yellow or red condition was present and likely to move. Maybe there just aren't enough employees to spot check all the beaches throughout the day?

consistancy to our flag system is a key. when we have a red flag out on clearly a green day we have problems. Last week, I had family in town that stayed on the beach.
Two of the days, the water was flat as a lake, I even took my 6 year old niece out on a surf board, yet we had a red flag. I witnessed 4 families heading down to the water and stating that the flag should be green. Two days later when the water got up, and a red flag was needed and flying, people did not believe it. We must have a consistent approach.

Touche...
I have seen flags that do not match the surf far too often.
The bottom line is that the individuals are solely responsible for their actions. I doubt that you will ever see the county playing a much larger part because it could ultimately wind up being a liability case down the road.