Beach Safety on Perdido Key & Orange Beach
The Gulf is gorgeous and it deserves respect. This is everything we have on staying safe in the water — what the flags mean, how to handle a rip current, and where to check conditions before you go in.
Quick answers
Can you swim in Perdido Key today?
You can swim in Perdido Key any day the beach flag isn't double red — but the flag color tells you how risky it is. Green is calm, yellow means moderate surf and currents, red means strong currents and high hazard, and double red means the water is closed to swimmers. We track the live flag for both the Florida and Alabama side on the Beach Today page.
Is there red tide in Perdido Key right now?
Red tide is occasional here, not a constant — Perdido Key and Orange Beach can go long stretches with none. When a bloom is present it can cause respiratory irritation and fish kills. Because it comes and goes, you should check the current status before a trip rather than assume. Florida's FWC publishes live sampling data, which we surface on the Beach Today page.
What should you do if you're caught in a rip current at Perdido Key?
If a rip current pulls you out at Perdido Key, do not try to swim straight back to the beach against it — that's how people exhaust themselves. Stay calm and float to conserve energy, then swim parallel to the shoreline until you're out of the narrow current, and only then angle back in. Wave and yell for a lifeguard if you can't escape.