If your summer plans include a family beach vacation, then there are a few things to know before you run into those waves. Before you embark on your trip, do a few checks first. Call the hotel or property where you’re staying and inquire whether or not lifeguards are employed on the beaches. If not, and you have inexperienced ocean swimmers in your family, then you may want to stick with pools for swimming and the beach for just building castles. Another check to make before you leave is the water quality. Pollution and sewage does affect the shore, and that can make for an unpleasant vacation if you get some sort of bug. Water is tested fairly infrequently, however, so swimming in the ocean is pretty much at your own risk. The ocean obviously is less safer to swim in than a pool for many reasons. Sea life, rip currents, strong waves and unsteady footing all contribute to a potentially dangerous situation. Be sure everyone in your family can swim, first and foremost. When you get to the beach, check for the presence of a lifeguard. Then look to see the flags flying near the lifeguard. These are not just for decoration – the different-colored flags signify various hazards that may affect the ocean that day. A green flag means simply to exercise the usual caution, watching for large waves and rip currents. A yellow flag means there’s a moderate risk of rip currents, and a red flag raises that risk to high – avoid entering the water. A double red flag means that water and/or beaches are closed. A purple flag may fly with any of the other flags, and it means sea pests – such as jellyfish – are present. Always swim sober, and enter the water feet first, instead of diving head first into water that may be shallower than you think. On the beach, remember to slather everyone with plenty of water- and sweatproof sunscreen to protect skin from the sun.