Surrounded by waterways, and with the open ocean lapping our Gold Coast shores, it’s essential to know how to stay safe when visiting our beaches. Always choose a beach to swim at that is patrolled by Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) lifesavers and only swim between the flags. Flags represent the area that is patrolled by surf lifesavers (they wear red and yellow) and indicate the safest place to swim at the beach. Read the safety signs located between the flags before entering the water, and if you’re unsure, ask a surf lifesaver for advice on local swimming and surfing conditions. Inexperienced swimmers should not swim alone, and children should always be supervised by an adult, even when surf lifesavers are present. Don’t forget to put on plenty of SPF 50+ sunscreen also, and choose a reef-safe brand if you can too, which protects not just your skin, but our marine life also.