Great Lakes Water Safety: What Do Michigan’s Flag Colors Really Mean?

Ensure you and your family stay safe this summer when visiting Michigan beaches.

As majestic as they are, the Great Lakes can be deadly for even the most experienced swimmers. The flags are there to help you! Make sure you do your part and learn their meanings:

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With the Memorial Day holiday behind us summer is "unofficially" here. In Michigan summer means backyard BBQs, outdoor festivals, and plenty of time spent on the water, of course.

I mean, Michigan is home to the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, after all! They don't call us a "Winter-Water Wonderland" for nothing.

While I certainly hope that no one fears the Great Lakes, I implore you to always remain cautious and observant when enjoying any body of water. Above all else it is imperative to know weather conditions before you get into the water.

Text-A-Buoy

Many popular, public beaches in Michigan have offshore buoys that monitor conditions like water temperature, wave height, and windspeed and you can easily access that information online.

Take for example, The City of South Haven's "text-a-buoy" program which will send current weather conditions and alerts to you phone! The information is there; I suggest you use it.