Tourists from all over the world are drawn to Florida’s immaculate beaches because of its famed beauty and charm. But below the beautiful surface, certain beaches might have unseen hazards that put inexperienced swimmers at serious risk.
This article will focus on one such beach, outlining the unique risks it poses and providing crucial safety advice for anyone considering a trip there.
The Risks of Florida’s Daytona Beach
Sunshine State beaches account for 24 of the 25 most dangerous beaches, according to a Simmrin Law analysis that looked at things like storms, shark attacks, and fatalities in surf zones (via KTSM).
Daytona Beach is one notable example; known as “The World’s Most Famous Beach,” it presents a significant difficulty for swimmers, particularly those with less expertise, due to a combination of shark-related events and fatalities in the surf zone.
Daytona Beach, which is ranked third among the country’s most dangerous beaches, has been the site of 18 shark attacks and 44 surf-related fatalities, per the report.
Over thirty surf zone fatalities were reported in the United States in 2024 alone, according to the National Weather Service. Rip currents were mostly to blame for these deaths, one of which happened at Daytona Beach.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these rip currents are strong “channeled currents of water flowing away from shore,” and they have the ability to carry even experienced swimmers into deeper waters.
Therefore, going too far offshore could be problematic for someone who is unfamiliar with ocean conditions.
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At Daytona Beach, rip currents are infamously frequent
Lifeguards frequently race to the rescue of swimmers carried away by rip currents at Daytona Beach. 180 people were saved in a matter of days, according to a news outlet article in July 2023.
AJ Miller, the beach safety captain for Volusia County, media, “Even with those small waves, what’s going to happen is a lot of what we get are people are playing and the wave comes through and kind of lifts you up, carries you out a little bit, sets you down, another wave comes through lifts you back up and carries you out further and before you know it you’re where you can’t touch.”
A comparable incident occurred in June 2024, not even a full year later, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, which revealed that lifeguards saved 85 lives in one weekend alone.
This is a warning to swimmers, especially inexperienced ones, to be cautious when going too deep in the water or perhaps stay out of it entirely.
However, if you do decide to swim, heed the warnings issued by the City of Daytona Beach to never enter the water by yourself and to always be in sight of lifeguards. They advise donning a life jacket authorized by the Coast Guard for further protection.
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Watch out for shark activity when visiting Daytona Beach
Swimming enthusiasts or not, swimmers should always be on the lookout for shark activity even if Daytona Beach is not the world’s most dangerous shark-infested beach.
A 1,400-pound great white shark was sighted close to Daytona Beach on New Year’s Day, 2024, according to CBS News. A 14-year-old victim was among the four shark bite victims who were reported in a six-day period in July, six months later, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Moreover, Daytona Beach’s home county of Volusia County saw eight of the United States’ “unprovoked shark attacks” in 2023.
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