BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. () — It is the prime season for people heading to the beach to take a dip into the waters.  

It’s also the prime season for a chance of severe storms which can create hazardous conditions and higher risks for water-related emergencies.

Safety officials constantly warn beachgoers about dangerous rip currents. Many say they’ve heard the message and feel confident they know what to do.

One person at Hunting Island State Park’s North Beach told News 3, “One thing is try not to fight it.  Let it carry you, you know, until it kind of dies out.”

Another beachgoer who was setting up their spot for the day added, “You swim crossways to it, horizontal to the beach and swim that way to it.”

Others have said they might not know the specifics but they at least know how to wave someone down or call for someone’s attention.

“You scream “Mike” and wait till he comes get you,” one woman said, referring to her partner for help.

But several people on the beach said they weren’t exactly sure of what the warning flags being flown really mean.

“We don’t know off the top of our head but we know the red flag is for a rip current, you know, or a high alert,” said a beachgoer.

Another added, “I know that one means there’s jellyfish.”

It’s a concern for safety officials who said the flags are flown for a reason.

Mike Wagner with Hilton Head Islands Shor Beach Services says each color indicates the safety or severity of the water. “Purple flag means they are stinging marine life like jellyfish or stingrays.  Yellow just means the water’s a little rougher than usual so use extra caution.  And a red flag would mean there’s a reason to stay out of the water. Could be lightning. Could be we saw sharks. It could be just the water’s too rough that day.”

A double red flag being flown indicates that the water is completely off limits.

Some folks said after the 3 recent drownings in the county and the recent storms, they are starting to become more aware and looking out for the flags before settling into their beach day.

One visitor to the beach looked forward to an upcoming day on the water. “When we first came in, I said, ‘Oh, we’ll have to pay attention to that when our niece and nephew is coming down in a couple of weeks from Canada, that, hey, pay attention to the flags at the booth and at the beach.”