What does the black ball on the beach mean. What does the blue flag on the beach mean? What do the flags on the beaches of Russia and the former USSR mean?

During the rainy season, safety on the water becomes especially relevant. Lifeguards constantly on duty near the water, warning signs and flags, fenced off dangerous areas for swimming - but even this is not enough to prevent especially gambling and careless vacationers from trying to conquer the waves at this time.

Therefore, it will be useful and simply interesting for many to find out what the typical flags set on the beaches of Thailand, including Phuket, mean. Perhaps knowledge will help save someone's life. In addition, not all flags speak of danger, some simply inform about the characteristic features of the chosen beach.

So, what do the flags on the beaches mean?

All flags comply with international standards and have colors typical for traffic lights and warning signs. In Phuket, warning signs accompanying flags are signed in seven languages: Thai proper, English, Russian, French, German, Korean and Chinese.

green flag : You can safely swim, the sea is calm.

Red flag : Due to dangerous conditions (in Phuket, first of all, these are strong waves), swimming is prohibited.

Two red flags side by side : Strong undercurrent, ripples. It is strictly forbidden to even go into the water.

Black and white chess cage : Places for surfers. On such beaches there are always separate signs that separate places for surfing and places for swimming for ordinary citizens.

yellow flag : allows you to swim, but it is recommended to do it with a company.

purple flag : dangerous marine animals (jellyfish, rays, sea urchins) live in these waters. If the purple flag is hung out in tandem with the yellow one, this indicates the extremely activity of these marine inhabitants.

Red and yellow flag : You can swim in this place, but be careful. The territory is always under the supervision of rescuers, but this does not relieve you of responsibility for your life. Alternatively, red and yellow flags may be affixed together.

brown flag : Environmental or water pollution. Option - orange flag.

Pay special attention to double red flags, because it is in such places that especially dangerous undercurrents await you - rips that can kill even a professional swimmer. Entering the water is strictly prohibited. Do not be deceived by sunny and clear weather: rips appear in such conditions. If you still get into a rip, do not try to fight, but surrender to the will of the current.

Follow the warning signs and your holiday will be remembered only from the positive side.

Every tourist, when traveling, is happy to explore new beach places, but not everyone is aware of the semantic meaning of the colors of the flags set on the beaches by lifeguards.

By design, the color of the beach flag carries information that is very important for tourists. Flags can be installed in a combined version and then the semantic load is multiplied.

1. Blue flag.

A blue flag with an image or just a sky blue flag is most often decorated with beach areas accredited for 27 points. Simply put, such a flag is a symbol of a beach of high quality in all respects. Any resort dreams of placing a blue flag on its beach, but it is not easy to get one. Sometimes the year the flag was received is indicated directly on the canvas. Certification by a special commission takes place almost every year. The beach is carefully inspected and its compliance with accepted standards is determined. In any country with a developed beach tourism industry, the number of blue flags is of paramount importance.

The Blue Flag with a white circle and three blue waves means that the beach fully complies with sanitary standards, there are no industrial wastes nearby, there are no animals on this beach in summer, the water space is fenced with buoys and fencing zones, the beach is cleaned regularly, there is no excess vegetation on the beach, and the entire territory is equipped with trash cans and information boards.

In addition, there are convenient descents to the water on the territory, and lifeguards monitor the safety of swimmers on the shore.

The verifiers can check the presence and status of all these mandatory attributes at any time, and if something is wrong, you can easily say goodbye to the flag. The blue flag award is for a season only. In the future, all procedures will have to be repeated.

Blue Flags mark not only the beaches on the seashore, but also areas on the coast of fresh water reservoirs.

European beaches are being tested before the start of the summer season. Unfortunately, neither Russia nor Ukraine can boast of the presence of beach areas marked with blue flags.

2. Red flag.

Red flags, in any case, whether they have inscriptions or not, mean one thing: it is forbidden to enter the water. Even if the sea in this place seems calm and calm to you, you should not think that the flag was set here by mistake or by an absurd accident.

The red flag is set if:

• storms or high tidal waves;
• the presence of dangerous predators in the water area (for example, sharks, crocodiles, snakes, etc.);
• appearing strong ebb currents, once in which, you can quickly find yourself in the open sea;
• the beginning of the hunting period of the nocturnal inhabitants of a certain section of the coast;
• the presence of areas with quicksand;
• the presence of zones with powerful whirlpools, etc. and so on.

If you see a red flag, be sure to ask the rescuers or local residents about the reason for its appearance. Always try to ask the locals if you can swim in this place!

It would be useful to remind you of the ban on swimming where there is not even a hint of a rescue booth with a lifeguard who could respond to calls for help.

Most often, the distance between red flags is 50 meters. But even if the red flag is in splendid isolation, its formidable appearance should be enough to make a decision.

3. Yellow flag / Orange flag.

These flags indicate that the beach is partially closed and swimming is not recommended.

You can enter the water, but because of the big waves, the rescuers have the right not to let tourists into the water.

In Ukraine, Russia and other CIS countries, this flag indicates the presence of lifeguards, and, consequently, the absence of a ban on swimming.

4. Green flag.

Swimming is allowed. Usually the green flag is not set.

5. White flag.

Swimming is allowed. Set as the antipode of the black flag.

6. Black flag / balloon.

A black flag depicting a shark is placed where sharks are seen frequently (the flag may be red in some countries).

In Russia, Ukraine and other countries of the former USSR, with the help of such a black ball, bathing is generally prohibited.

7. Purple flag.

The purple flag is used to ban swimming. The reason for the ban is the presence of a large number of toxic jellyfish in the water.

8. Chess black and white flag (usually there are 2 of them).

With the help of this flag (flags), an area is allocated for surfers and other sports.

It is better not to swim in such an area, since the likelihood of a collision with athletes is quite high.

9. Yellow-red flag (usually 2).

With the help of this flag (flags), a zone is allocated that is allowed for swimming under the supervision of lifeguards.

In countries such as the United States and Australia, lifeguards try to generally prevent swimming outside the zone indicated by such flags.

10. Yellow flag with a black circle inside.

This flag is commonly used in the USA. It means a ban on the use of heavy boards for surfing in places where swimming is allowed.

11. Blue flag with three shells.

Such a unique flag is not used on the beach anywhere except Ukraine.

It is installed on the beach areas of increased comfort, including for the disabled.

Considering that the Crimean beaches and beaches of other regions of Ukraine will not be able to claim blue flags in the near future (point 1 of our story), then the use of these signs is explained only by the desire to somehow attract vacationers.

All beaches suitable for swimming have an international safety alert system monitored by a coastal patrol.

Main flags on the beach

Remembering the flag system is as easy as remembering the colors of a traffic light:

Red flag- danger! Swimming is prohibited! Two red flags - you can’t go into the water at all.
yellow flag- be careful, it is advisable not to swim alone.
green flag— the sea is calm, safe conditions for swimming.

A red flag prohibiting swimming can mean both the risk of strong currents and danger from marine life. Therefore, you should not "by eye" estimate the height of the waves, relying on your own ideas about safety.

However, this should not be confused red-yellow flag on the beach (there are usually two of them) - encloses the area inside which you can safely swim, the area is guarded by lifeguards (see our material "). This rule is common on almost all equipped American and Australian beaches: the rule "Swim between the flags". The continuation sounds convincing: "If we can't see you, we can't save you".

Purple/blue flag- meaning the presence of dangerous marine life, these are, as a rule, stinging jellyfish, "Portuguese boat", stingrays - the one who dealt with them does not need to be convinced. The purple flag may be present in conjunction with the flags listed above. As, for example, in this photo: a yellow flag - medium danger, moderate surf and current, but next to a purple flag, which means that marine life is active. As you can see, people are leaving the beach.

Brown/orange flag may mean that there are problems with the purity of water and the environment, in particular, they are polluted. Remembering this color by analogy with excrement is also simple.
In total, the full set of basic flags looks something like this:

In different countries, there are minor differences - for example, blue is used instead of purple (not to be confused with the blue flag, see below), orange is used instead of brown. In addition to flags, beaches usually have rescue rules for “backflow” (see our material) and beach rules, for example: “Diving from the pier is prohibited”, “Dogs are not allowed”, “Food and drinks are not allowed”, "No nudism", "High risk of sharks", etc.

Surfer flags

Some beaches, notable for large waves, are popular with surfers. Surf spots equipped black and white "chess flag". Just like the Formula 1 flag, it's easy to remember.
There are always signs on the beach where you should surf ( surf), and where to swim ( swim). The surf area, where lifeguards are on duty, as well as the swimming area, is fenced with flags on both sides. rule "Surf Between Flags" works here too.

The danger of shark attacks

Large water, providing incredible opportunities for surfing and diving, whale and dolphin watching, diving into the rich underwater world, is also a danger due to marine predators. In particular, these are the beaches of Thailand, South Africa, Australia, USA. In places where there is a danger of meeting a person with sharks, there are usually flags warning about the degree of risk.

What to do in case of danger of a shark attack - you can see in the animated video(English.)

blue flag

And now about the pleasant. Beaches have their own rating of quality and cleanliness, just like hotels and restaurants have a number of stars. The Blue Flag is the highest international beach award.

Historical reference: The blue flag beach quality certificate was established in 1985 by the French. They called it the Blue Flag. Since 1987, Europe, represented by the EU, has joined the program. Europe was followed by the whole world and now about 60 countries participate in the Blue Flag program (official site).

In addition to beaches, the program assesses marinas (moorings for boats and yachts). The program is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Only she has the right to issue the Blue Flag. But only for one year. A year later, the beach or marina must reaffirm its right to hang a blue flag over clean sand. The renewal time for Blue Flag certificates in the Northern Hemisphere is around June 5th each year. For the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean, this occurs around November 1st.

The beach, over which the blue flag flutters, guarantees vacationers that:

- access to the beach is free;
– the water is clean and tested weekly;
– garbage is collected and sand is cleaned;
– there is a surveillance and rescue service on the beach;
– if necessary, emergency assistance can be provided right on the beach;
- there are showers;
– motor vehicles do not drive along the beach;
- pets use another beach.

There are 29 criteria for evaluating beaches in total. The norms laid down in them are very rigid and tend to become even tougher over time. Ordinary vacationers do not need to learn all the intricacies of the program, just knowing that the blue flag is a reliable indicator of the highest quality of the beach. You can try to search for your country and beach on the official website in the list of Blue Flag beaches.

How many met the Blue Flag on the beach? What does it mean? Apparently, not many people know this. Therefore, it is worth figuring out what a special flag means and whether it makes sense to look for beaches marked in this way in advance.

beach holiday

Many people cannot imagine their vacation without the gentle sun and sea. Therefore, every year the warm southern resorts receive a huge number of tourists who tend to the beaches. But their requests differ: someone likes a calm sea, while others like small waves and wind. For some, it turns out to be critical whether the beach is pebbly or sandy, but there are people with special requests in general. But be that as it may, everyone understands that you need to relax on the other side, which is completely safe, where there is all the necessary equipment.

Many beaches around the world have a special system of colored flags, which shows that, for example, there are dangerous creatures in the sea, or the waves are too big, and therefore swimming is prohibited. But the same colors are not always used, so it is easy to get confused in the notation. But there is also an international sign - the Blue Flag on the beach. What does it mean?

blue flags

The problem of assessing the quality of beaches has become relevant for a long time, and already in 1985 a special system began its work. Initially, it operated only within Europe, but in 2001, the organization involved in the certification of holiday destinations by the sea became worldwide. Today it has about 50 participating countries in Eurasia, Africa, Oceania, North and South America. Initially, the blue flag on the beach meant the high quality of sea water (in several ways), today only those places that meet almost 30 different criteria are marked with it. Obviously, this sign is very prestigious, and such beaches attract more tourists. That is why every year the requirements are tightened, but more and more recreation areas receive these awards, and more and more countries join a kind of club. Certification of beaches in the Eastern Hemisphere is carried out in May-June, and in the Caribbean - in early November.

Award Criteria

Before each season, the beaches of the countries participating in the project are certified. Many parameters are taken into account, divided into the following categories.

1. Water quality:

• Compliance with the requirements adopted by the EU Directive.
• No discharge of industrial wastewater.
• Availability of local or regional action plans in case of pollution from accidents.
• Preventing the accumulation of algae in recreation areas.
• Meeting the requirements of urban wastewater treatment.

2. Environmental awareness:

• Availability of at least 5 educational programs.
• Timely informing about the accomplished or alleged pollution of the beach.
• Providing visitors with information about applicable laws and codes, as well as rules of conduct.
• Informing about dangerous areas near the coast, including habitats of local flora and fauna, representatives of which can cause harm to humans.
• The presence of a special educational center.
• Timely updating and updating of all information provided.

3. Environmental management:

• The presence of a sufficient number of garbage cans that are regularly serviced and emptied.
• Carrying out regular, and if necessary, daily cleaning of the beach area.
• Existence of a plan for land use and development of the coastal zone separately or on a regional scale.
• A complete ban on the entry of vehicles without special permission, unauthorized camping, dumping of waste and car or motorcycle racing on the beach.
• Having secure access.
• Actively promote the use of environmentally friendly modes of transport to visit the coastal zone.

4. Security:

• Availability of all first aid equipment on the beach.
• Strict implementation of state laws regarding the stay in the recreation area of ​​various animals.
• The presence of lifeguards and the necessary equipment on the beach and / or another way to ensure safety and prevent accidents.
• Access to a source of drinking water.
• The presence of a working phone, in case lifeguards are not working on the beach.
• All buildings and structures must be kept in order and clean.

Not all of the above criteria are mandatory, some of them are advisory in nature. And yet, in order to get the highest rating - the blue flag - every year the authorities try to make the beaches better and better. And many succeed: in 2015, there were 4,159 places on the world map that were awarded this quality mark. The Blue Flag beaches received a huge number of tourists during the summer, while maintaining the necessary level of safety and cleanliness. The prestige of this award is so high that many people even plan their holidays, focusing on the most highly rated recreation areas by experts. So where are most of them located?

Spain

Every year the Blue Flag is awarded to a huge number of beaches. In 2015, Spain became the first in terms of the number of such places - 577 certified sections of sea coasts were counted on its map. Most of the beaches, ecological purity and safety of which are confirmed, are located in Galicia. In second place was Valencia, and in third - Catalonia. Let's see if Spain will be able to keep the lead in 2016 and possibly improve the result? In the meantime, it is much more difficult for an inexperienced tourist to get to a beach that is not marked with a flag, and soon it will probably be completely impossible.

Turkey

In the spring of 2015, it turned out that another popular southern country received "silver" in the competition for the number of certified beaches. Turkey became it with a score of 436. Most of the marked beaches are located in the regions traditionally popular with Russians - Bodrum, Kemer, Antalya, Marmaris. And it is hoped that next year even more places will receive the distinction - the Blue Flag.

Greece

Hellas moved to third place from last year's second, with a result of 395 recreation areas, losing as many as 13 marked coasts. Obviously, the crisis that affected Greece was the reason, among other things, that the government focused on more burning topics. Most of the local beaches, over which the Blue Flag flutters, are concentrated in traditional resort areas - on Crete and the Halkidiki peninsula.

France

The country that spawned the Blue Flag movement was the fourth largest in 2015. France lagged behind Greece quite a bit - on its territory there are 379 beaches that meet all the criteria for environmental cleanliness and safety. Places for recreation, marked with the Blue Flag, are located on the coast quite evenly. A sufficient number of them are located both near the English Channel, and near the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Cyprus

Another country enduringly loved by northern latitudes, it received 57 awards in 2015, the same as last year, and almost all of them are concentrated in the southern part of the island. This may seem like a small number compared to hundreds in previous countries. However, let's not forget about the small size of the island. By the way, it is worth mentioning that Cyprus is a kind of record holder: firstly, there is the largest number of marked vacation spots in terms of per capita, and secondly, the largest number of them per unit length of the coastline. Basically, the beaches of Cyprus with the Blue Flag are located in the areas of Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Famagusta.

Russia

Despite the fact that the Russian Federation does not have many warm places with beaches, for several years now it has been participating in the Blue Flag program. Unfortunately, during all this time only a couple of yacht clubs have been awarded the prestigious award, but not a single beach has been certified to European standards. However, let's not lose heart: perhaps in the coming years the situation will change for the better.

blue flag

blue flag is an international award given annually since 1987 to beaches and marinas whose water meets high quality standards and is suitable for safe swimming. France is considered the birthplace of the Blue Flag, where the first award took place in 1985.

The Blue Flag category is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which is a non-profit non-governmental organization. The Foundation consists of 65 organizations located in 60 countries of the world and representing Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, North and South America.

Compliance with the Blue Flag criteria requires adherence to strict water quality, safety and environmental education standards. For locations located within the European Union, full compliance with the applicable directives is also required.

The annual awards take place on June 5 (for countries in Europe, Canada, Morocco, Tunisia and similar geographic locations) and November 1 (for the Caribbean, New Zealand, South Africa and the like, located in the Southern Hemisphere).

In 2009, more than 3,450 beaches and marinas were awarded the Blue Flag.

Currently, the following countries of the world participate in the Blue Flag program: Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russian Federation, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales, United Arab Emirates, Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten. In Aruba, the program operates at a pilot level.

Many vacationers around the world are guided by the assessment of the Blue Flag of the future destination when planning a trip.

The only beach in Russia awarded with the Blue Flag is located in the village. Yantarny, Kaliningrad region

What do the colors of the flags on the beach mean?

Hedgehogs are not only thorns :)

Green flag - the sea is calm, safe conditions for swimming
Yellow flag - be careful, it is advisable not to swim alone
Red flag - danger! Swimming is prohibited!

Arseny lemons

Blue flag, patterned or unpatterned
The blue flag is the pride and coveted prize for any beach. It testifies that the beach has successfully passed the test according to 27 international criteria, it is clean and meets environmental standards. If the flag has a pattern of white stripes, then this is a luxury beach. European beaches are assessed annually, before the start of each season. Otherwise, the year of receipt may be indicated on the flag.
green flag
You can safely go into the water, the sea is calm. This is the most standard sign, often it is not installed at all.
Yellow/orange flag
You need to be careful - on such a beach there are moderate waves or there are undercurrents. As a rule, lifeguards are on duty on the beach and they have the right not to let you into the water if there are dangerous waves.
Red flag
Swimming is prohibited.
double red flag
The danger is increased - it is strictly forbidden to enter the water. The reasons can be very different - ranging from a storm, the beginning of the hunting season for local animals and sharks, to strong low tides that can drag into the open sea or ocean, and even quicksand.
Purple flag (sometimes blue)
It indicates the activity of dangerous marine animals in the coastal zone - rays, jellyfish, sharks.
brown flag
The beach is polluted.
Black flag or balloon
High chance of shark attacks.
Black and white checkerboard flag
On this beach there are areas for surfers, in the sea - areas for surfing. Swimming is not recommended due to the possibility of injury in a collision with an athlete.
Red and yellow flag
This color of the flag indicates that the beach has certain boundaries, in which lifeguards are on duty. As a rule, two such flags are set, which outline the boundaries of the zone. Lifeguards have the right to prohibit you from swimming outside the boundaries. If you swim outside a certain area, lifeguards are unlikely to be able to help you.
Black circle on yellow background
In the US, this flag means you can't surf here.
blue triangular flag
Such a flag can often be seen on the beaches of Vietnam. He says that there is a certain danger on this beach - most likely, strong waves or undercurrents.
White flag
Bathing is allowed.
shark flag
It is a green, black, red or white flag with a printed silhouette of a shark. Determines the degree of threat of shark attacks along the coast.

Blue flag on the beach - what does it mean?

Gennady59

The blue flag on the beach is something like a certificate of quality. I don’t remember which organization, but some pretty serious one, every year it checks the quality of the beach according to several criteria (water purity, daily garbage collection, the presence of lifeguards, other infrastructure, such as changing rooms, beach cafes) and issues (or not issues) a blue flag for the season.

I myself live in Latvia, and therefore I have heard a little about it, because. the beaches of our Jurmala every year participate (and quite successfully) in this selection. And this year, the blue flag proudly flies on the beaches of Jurmala.

Class. What do oceanic red flags mean.

A Russian tourist comes to the beach. Every day of vacation counts (and weighs hundreds of dollars), and here on the beautiful white beach of Varadero, red flags flutter in the wind. Like, no swimming.

The tourist, of course, spits on this and climbs into the water. So what, what are the waves? Immediately 150 meters ahead to the waist. On the contrary, it's great to feel the power of the ocean waves that cover you with your head.
But it was not there. From the ocean, the Russo tourist is dragged by force (precisely by force, without any figures of speech) back to the river by a local Cuban rescuer. No arguments in Russian and English help. You can't, that's all.
After some time, the tourist learns that a Cuban lifeguard, if a vacationer suffers on his section of the beach, is imprisoned for 3 years without talking and writes off his behavior as a fear of prison. Cursing the repressive system, he goes to splash in the pool.

A new day is coming. The sea has calmed down. There are almost no waves. But there are red flags on the beach again! Again dragged out of the water!! This is no longer in any gate climbs. The tourist honors the rescuer with a good obscenity, and in response he hears only an incomprehensible tongue twister in Spanish, where the word "Portugal" is guessed. Like, go next time to swim in the Atlantic in Portugal, the tourist decides and in impotent anger goes to drink another mojito, completely unaware that the lifeguard, quite possibly, saved him from long days of painful agony.
But lifeguards stand every 100 meters only on the beaches of Varadero. In Guanabo, which is 30 km from Havana, the beaches were chosen exclusively by the local population. And since Cubans do not swim in the sea in winter (from their point of view, it is cold), there are almost no lifeguards around.
We saw red flags on the beach for the first time in Guanabo. We remembered the stories of tourists in Varadero about the atrocities of the rescuers. We were glad that no one would stop us from feeling the power of the waves. And I gladly climbed into the water.
There was a clear storm at sea, which is why the usually crystal clear water was a muddy yellow suspension of sand. The bottom was not visible. Pieces of some kind of boards, then a bunch of seaweed hit me on the leg. We groped at the bottom and stones.
It got a little unsettling. Well, how the next wave, from the roll of which you can hardly stay on your feet, will give you such a stone in the head. So, after spending no more than two minutes in the water, I got back out, deciding that that was enough for today. He advised his wife not to go into the water at all, but she, looking at the muddy waves, herself lost her desire.
We went further along the beach. But only three meters passed.
At the very water on the sand, we saw something that made me go cold at the thought of how this trip could end.

This is not a jellyfish, as Western guidebooks mistakenly call it (blue jellyfish). This is a siphonophore - an invertebrate organism close to jellyfish.
Physalia is scientifically called, and among the people everyone knows it as a "Portuguese boat"
From the side, it looks like a blue inflated fish bladder with a purple stripe, which is carried along the waves. It is along the waves that the bubble inflated with air (scientifically pneumatophore) is held above the surface of the water. And under the water the most interesting thing is the long, thickest blue tentacles.

The tentacles can reach up to 50 meters, but in adults they are usually 10 meters. We saw, apparently, young individuals - 5-6 meters was a record, but it was still impressive.

Tentacles are the thinnest bundles of stinging cells that burn those who touch them with strong poison.
It is unlikely to die on the spot from a burn of a Portuguese ship. But getting an extremely painful burn is for sure. Poison can cause paralysis. If the tentacle walks along the spine, then there is every chance of drowning, because. paralyzes.
But I was standing in the waves, covering me with my head. Entangle such a creature's head by chance ...

The entire coast was littered with Portuguese boats. Sand, like laser beams in a bank vault, crossed their spread threads.
And it was lucky that they were wet and the wind was not so strong. Sometimes the wind blows these threads through the air - as a result of such, as it was nicknamed, the "purple wind" in 1974 in Florida, up to 400 people received serious burns.

The next morning the sea calmed down. But apparently the storm was so strong that it carried too many boats out of the open ocean. Already calm waves before our eyes continued to throw new individuals ashore.

Rescuers walked along the beach, methodically bursting blue bubbles (we tried it ourselves - if you throw a stone at it, it explodes cheerfully like an inflated bag).
But there were too many. From large to very tiny - Zhenya nevertheless stepped on one of the little ones. The foot instantly swelled up, but because. there was very little poison in it, everything went away in 2 days.

Usually the "season" of such ocean gifts - August-September - the time of storms. But sometimes in winter...
And most importantly - they are beautiful devils. It's just that it's painfully frighteningly moving. An incomprehensible gelatinous mass slowly wriggles, rising from one end, as if trying to get a better look at you. (There is a video on the camera, but I don’t know how to put it on the network :))
It is not surprising that many come specifically to look at them.

(count how many individuals lie around a friend)
In general, I warned you.
Although some crazy Cubans bathe. Even with children. But they don't go far. However, in a calm sea, a boat can be seen from afar ...

When planning trips, many vacationers are guided by the Blue Flag ratings. This is an international award given annually since 1987 to beaches and marinas whose water meets high quality standards and is suitable for safe swimming. The Blue Flag nomination is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). More than 40 countries participate in the program.

In 2013, Spain ranked first among the countries with the most Blue Flag beaches (550 holiday destinations). The top five also included Greece, Turkey, France and Portugal.

European countries - leaders in the number of beaches marked with the "Blue Flag" BlueFlag.Org data (2013)

1. Spain

The Spanish coastline with a total length of 8,000 km attracts more than 43.5 million tourists annually. At the regional level, the autonomous community of Galicia leads in terms of the number of clean beaches (127), within which there are especially many Blue Flags in A Coruña. Riazor and Orzan beaches are widely known. However, for those who are used to swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, the local water may seem cold.

2. Greece

Among the Greek regions, Lassithi, a major tourist center located in Crete, received the most Blue Flags (36). There are especially many clean beaches in the capital of this nome, the city of Agios Nikolaos. The best is Almyros, a long sandy beach, where the cold current flows into the warm sea. In windy weather, it is better to choose pebble beaches, which are in abundance here.

3. Turkey

In 2013, 383 Turkish beaches were marked with the Blue Flag, of which more than half (197) are located in Antalya. Therefore, it is not surprising that this is the most popular region among Russian tourists. The most famous beaches are Konyaalti (in the west of Antalya) and Lara (in the east). The latter is the focus of all-inclusive holidays on the territory of four- and five-star hotels.

4. France

In France, every day you can relax on a new beach marked with the "Blue Flag", because there are 365 of them. The Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur region is especially rich in them (96 beaches with the "Blue Flag"). Sandy beaches stretch to the west of Nice (Cannes, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Saint-Tropez), while in Nice itself and further towards Italy they are pebbly. The coast is not wide - about 30–40 m.

5. Portugal

The Algarve is the most sophisticated and sought after region in Portugal. Of the 279 Blue Flags, a quarter went to the beaches of this particular area. The main resorts are Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, as well as the Golden Triangle, which includes Goldra, Lole and Santa Barbara de Nexe. The best beaches in Portugal are also located there. The coast stretches for 150 km from east to west from Monte Gordo to Lagos. It is protected from northern winds by mountain ranges. In the west there are rocky beaches, in the east - sandy ones.

6. Italy

In Italy, the beaches marked with the "Blue Flag" are the most in Liguria (35). The best resorts are Portofino, Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure. Those who love walking will enjoy walking along the "Via del Amore", or "Road of Love", a path that winds its way along the coast of the Cinque Terre. Breathtaking sea views will make your trip unforgettable.

7. Denmark

Denmark has a coastline of 7,400 km - about the same as in Brazil and longer than in India. For every 180 km² of the country, there is a Blue Flag beach. They are especially numerous (71) in the south of Denmark, where there are many islands where city dwellers go to relax on weekends (which is why so many Danes have a chocolate tan). The visiting card of this region is marinas with yachts.

8. Croatia

Little Croatia, which is smaller than the Krasnodar Territory, has a coastline of about 2,000 km. At the same time, on average, every 20 km there is a beach marked with the Blue Flag. Istria County is especially rich in clean beaches - there are 43 such beaches. This region is located in the west of Croatia and includes most of the Istrian peninsula on the Adriatic Sea.

9. UK

Unlike, for example, Turkey or Croatia, Great Britain does not have a reputation as a resort country. However, even here there were 95 beaches worthy of the Blue Flag nomination. Among the regions, most of them are in Wales (33 beaches). Compared to 2012, there are 10 fewer Blue Flags in this part of the UK - last year was too wet, which had a bad effect on water quality.

10. Ireland

Ireland is a little behind the UK: there are 70 Blue Flag beaches. Most of them (19) are located in the west of the country, in the province of Connaught, in just two counties - Galway and Mayo. The local beaches are famous only on the scale of Ireland and are not in demand among wealthy foreigners, as, for example, in the case of Liguria and the Cote d'Azur.