Maybe a beach club banner. Maybe someone’s idea of “fun.”
I asked a lifeguard, “What’s the purple flag for?”
He said, “Marine pests. Jellyfish, stingrays, sea lice—that kind of thing. It means watch where you step and swim.”
I’d never heard of such a thing. And I realized that most beachgoers haven’t either. They see green, yellow, red. Purple is just… there.
So what does it mean?
Marine pests are present. And no—it’s not about “annoying bugs.” It’s about stinging, biting, or venomous sea life that can turn your perfect
