- Never try to swim to or from the submerged sandbar known as Crab Island. Even the strongest swimmers can’t fight the powerful current moving massive amounts of water into and out of the Gulf of Mexico. Get there on a boat. Leave there on a boat. Trust us on this one.
- Enter the water feet first! Each year, emergency crews rush to Crab Island to help people who tried to dive into the shallow waters.
- Charter a boat and a captain if you’re planning to party at Crab Island. And really, who isn’t? Your job is to have fun. Let the locals do the work.
- When you swim at a beach, choose one with a lifeguard. They keep beachgoers up to date on weather and water conditions and can help you quickly if you have a little bit of trouble.
- Go home with a great tan, not third-degree burns. Florida sunshine is a force to be reckoned with and a wicked sunburn can sneak up on you quickly. It’s no fun to get burned the first day and have to stay out of the sun for days to come.
Photo courtesy Destin Pontoon Charters.