Florida’s beaches attract tourists from around the world.
The state is known for fun in the sand and sun.
But Florida’s beaches topped one scary list that Ron DeSantis never wanted to see.
Florida has the 10 most dangerous beaches in the country
Tens of millions of tourists flock to Florida every year and one of the state’s biggest draws is its beaches.
Florida has dozens of world-famous beaches from the panhandle to the Atlantic Coast.
The Sunshine State ended up on an infamous list according to a new study.
Researchers with Tideschart, an app to track changes in tide, conducted a study of the most dangerous beaches in America.
They looked at 528 beaches across the country to determine the 10 most dangerous.
Shark attacks, hurricanes, and surf zone fatalities, like rip tides and rip currents, were used to judge how dangerous a beach is to visitors.
Beaches were ranked with a score up to 100 depending on the three risk factors.
“With the warmer season approaching and many families planning beach trips, it’s crucial to put safety first,” Tideschart founder Ryan Blundell explained. “Most people do not realize how much changing surf conditions, unpredictable marine life, and severe weather can impact their safety.”
The study found that the ten most dangerous beaches in the country were all in Florida.
The most dangerous beach in the country according to Tideschart was New Smyrna Beach on the Atlantic Coast with a score of 76.92.
New Smyrna Beach is the shark bite capital of the world, according to the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Tideschart said the beach has recorded 277 shark attacks and 12 surf zone fatalities.
Florida’s Laguna Beach was the second most dangerous beach, while Daytona Beach was third.
The hidden danger on any beach
Laguna Beach was second because it had the highest number of surf zone fatalities.
Miami Beach, Indialantic Boardwalk, Cocoa Beach, Palm Beach, Miramar Heights Beach, Cape Canaveral, and Jupiter Beach Park rounded out the top 10.
Shark attacks get the headlines but the odds of getting bit are extremely rare.
“While shark attacks often dominate the headlines, the real danger on Florida’s beaches stems from the ever-present hurricane threat,” Blundell stated. “Hurricanes cause powerful rip currents and storm surges, which significantly elevate the risk for beachgoers. This is why it is no surprise that all the top 10 most dangerous beaches in America are in Florida.”
Tideschart found that Hawaii had the safest beaches in the country.
Hawaii’s Kalepolepo Beach was rated as the safest beach in America with no shark attacks, hurricanes, or surf zone fatalities.
The greatest danger at any beach comes from rip currents and rip tides.
A rip current is a powerful current of water flowing away from the shore.
Swimmers get tired trying to fight them, putting themselves at risk of drowning.
More than 100 people are killed every year by rip currents, and thousands of people have to be rescued by lifeguards.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
