Vero Beach, lifeguards and rip currents question

[ReallyFunMom]

If there aren't life guards, how do you know if there are rip currents or otherwise dangerous conditions? I usually look to lifeguards for sea lice, jellyfish or rip current information. My kids are good swimmers but we haven't spent much time in the ocean. I want to bring boogie boards and let them have fun but I'm a little worried about a 5 and 6 year old in the ocean with no lifeguard around. Anyone know how to make sure its not one of those times when the winds make for rip currents w/o leaving the resort for a beach with a lifeguard? Thanks.

 

[canda]

I have not been to VB since the hurricane ripped it up, but I think there was a public beach guard just north a few yards away. As for boogie boards it has always been a sheet of glass when I go. I have never had any waves at VB.

 

[floridafam]

There is a little board by the boardwalk that usually has current conditions written on it.

There are lifeguards North of the resort at Wabasso Beach. Look for them or for the color flag flying. This should tell you if you can swim or not.

The sea has been churning lately.

Have fun!

 

[ReallyFunMom]

Thanks for the info. Do you know the forecasts for this weekend and currents? Think I read afternoons is the worst time so maybe we'll avoid the beach in the afternoon. What color flag should I look for to know conditions are ok?

 

[floridafam]

I would try a google search for the flags. I believe red means no swimming.

I'm not sure if they forecast the rip currents but you should get the weather channel in your resort room.

 

[Halle]

We were there this past August and I didn't see any lifeguards North of the resort....maybe I didn't look far enough down the beach. Lack of lifeguards was the only drawback for me. Beach and waves were great!!! For tide info go to Tide Predictor.

 

[colleen costello]

When we were there this summer I had similar questions. With no guards I would only let the kids go in up to their knees! Anyway, a nice Mom on the beach was from Orlando, and she said Vero is generally very safe. She didn't remember ever hearing about bad currents OR sharks in the Vero area. That calmed me, but if the red flad was up I still wouldn't attempt to swim!

 

[chrissyk]

There was a bit of a rip current at VB last weekend. I got pulled under once briefly...it wasn't anything horrible, but I did lose my sunglasses I'd just keep the kids close to shore.

BTW, the beach there is just trashed! Did "Ophelia" do that when it was sitting off the coast for so many days Good grief! Talk about some seriously bad erosion

 

[floridafam]

FYI, we saw a shark about a month ago up in Sebastian.

I know it's not Vero but it's close enough.

The beach is still recovering from the storms last year but I think it looks pretty good.

I love the new boardwalk they built at the resort. It looks very well built so hopefully it will weather any future storms.

I also would not go near the water if there was a red flag posted. It's just asking for trouble. Dh is a great swimmer and he agrees with me.

I've seen the ocean very calm (like what you see over on the gulf side) and I've seen it really choppy like it was a few weeks ago. You just never know what it's going to be like from day to day.

 

[JerJan]

First off, not to scare you, but there are sharks everywhere in the ocean. I was at VBR in June on my 4th floor balcony and it was very calm (like glass) that day. My friend and I, both scuba divers, saw two little sand sharks maybe 50 feet off shore for at least 45 minutes. They were feeding on schooling fish.

As for the conditions and currents, as noted above it is posted at the end of the boardwalk leading down to the beach. The local news channels (WPTV 5 is one of them that comes to mind) there always have this information as well during the weather on every broadcast.

 

[AMcaptured]

Vero has a lot of sharks. The time of year and water conditions dictate just how many sharks you will see but early morning and late afternoon swims are usually the most dangerous. I don't mean to alarm anyone but it is the ocean and sharks live there. On our last trip to Vero two summers ago, we saw many, many sharks around four every afternoon.

I dont' think I would let my 5 or 6 year old go far into the water, the water is very rough in very. I don't know what they storms have done to change the topography but Vero used to have a very sharp drop off. Use Caution!

 

[AMcaptured]

Vero has a lot of sharks. The time of year and water conditions dictate just how many sharks you will see but early morning and late afternoon swims are usually the most dangerous. I don't mean to alarm anyone but it is the ocean and sharks live there. On our last trip to Vero two summers ago, we saw many, many sharks around four every afternoon.

I dont' think I would let my 5 or 6 year old go far into the water, the water is very rough in vero. I don't know what the storms have done to change the topography but Vero used to have a very sharp drop off. Use Caution!

 

[JimMIA]

If there aren't life guards, how do you know if there are rip currents or otherwise dangerous conditions? I usually look to lifeguards for sea lice, jellyfish or rip current information. My kids are good swimmers but we haven't spent much time in the ocean. I want to bring boogie boards and let them have fun but I'm a little worried about a 5 and 6 year old in the ocean with no lifeguard around. Anyone know how to make sure its not one of those times when the winds make for rip currents w/o leaving the resort for a beach with a lifeguard? Thanks.

Being from South Florida, I assume you already know the wind conditions that create rip tides. But for those who don't, rip tides usually occur when there is a strong offshore wind, which in Vero's case would be from the east.

Depending on the topography of the beach, rip tides can be quite strong and dangerous. Here in Miami, the lifeguards post rip tide warnings and they are usually covered by the news media.

If you are caught in a rip tide, the recommended response is to not fight the current. Just go with it and try to swim parallel to the shoreline until you are out of the current and then go back into shore.

 

[ReallyFunMom]

Wow, so much for a relaxing beach weekend vacation. We might just hang out by the pool which seems silly since we have a pool at home. I can maybe imagine staying calm by myself, allowing current to pull me out and swimming parallel like you always hear. But if I had two panicked kids clinging to me, I'm sure we'd all drown. I would feel so much better with lifeguards. Think I'll pass on boogie boards all together since it would make them more likely to go deeper into the water. Of course, at least we'd have something to float on if we were caught up in one...... My husband is going to have a strong arguement for not doing Vero as FL residents since we can drive 20 minutes to a beach with a lifeguard. (Somehow we rarely do so I thought being at a nice hotel would be a good way to get beach time in since can just walk there; but the ocean fears are becoming a real drag.) Don't want to take chances with my kids so maybe we'll stick to shell collecting.

 

[floridafam]

We go to the beach all the time (Wabasso and Vero) and we have a blast every time we go.

DH goes in the water sometimes and the kids go up to their knees.

They build sandcastles and other things and they never want to leave.

I've seen many people in the water at Vero. It all depends what type of day it is.

I'm sure you'll have a great time. I could spend hours by the pool there, as well.

You can rent jet skis. That might be fun.