Coquina Beach, Cortez Beach and Manatee Public Beach are the only beaches in Manatee County that provide beachgoers with professional lifeguard and medical rescue services. Although the lifeguards are stationed at these two beaches, they are dispatched by 911 operators to water emergencies along our waterways and beaches, so you will see them at various locations on and off the sand.
The Gulf of Mexico is a normally calm body of water, but caution must be used should adverse conditions arise. Mother Nature can whip up high winds or storms, thereby causing fast moving currents, wave action, and rip currents. So remember to "swim near a lifeguard." According to the United States Lifesaving Association, the chances of drowning on a beach manned by lifeguards is 1 in 18 million.
Lifeguard Hours
Lifeguard hours are from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Summer Hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day): 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Swimming Areas
Swimming areas are designated by buoys to provide a safe haven for swimmers, free of boats and other water craft. Swimmers should take care, however, to remain within these areas.
Lifeguard towers post information boards denoting current beach conditions and also use a warning flag system to alert patrons of relative safety levels.
Beach Conditions
Water Temperatures range from about 59ºF/15ºC in the winter to approximately 88ºF/31ºC in the summer, with an average of 74ºF/24ºC.
Tides range from one to three feet under normal conditions and may represent two or four tides per day.
Sun exposure at this latitude may be more severe than you are accustomed to, so always take precautionary measures. Wear a sunscreen of at least 15 SPF and don't remain in the sun for more than a few hours your first day or two. For best results, when wearing sunscreen, you must reapply it throughout the day.