Know the water.
Understand the risk.

Clear, calm guidance for enjoying the Emerald Coast—before you swim, fish, wade, or eat local seafood.

Check official beach conditions →I have a cut or wound

We link to official advisories. We do not issue beach closures.

Illustrative coastal scene · Northwest Florida

Check before you go

Start with Florida’s official sampling results and active health advisories.

Protect broken skin

Avoid coastal water with an open wound—or cover it completely with a waterproof bandage.

Know when to act

Rapidly worsening redness, swelling, pain, fever, or blistering needs urgent medical attention.

Official sources first

Check Northwest Florida beaches

Open Florida Healthy Beaches ↗

Escambia CountyPensacola Beach · Perdido KeyView official results →Santa Rosa CountyNavarre Beach · SoundsideView official results →Okaloosa CountyDestin · Fort Walton BeachView official results →Walton CountyMiramar Beach · 30AView official results →Bay CountyPanama City Beach · St. AndrewsView official results →

Important: Healthy Beaches monitors fecal indicator bacteria. Those results are useful official water-quality information, but they are not a direct test for Vibrio.

Vibrio 101

A natural bacterium.
A risk you can reduce.

Vibrio bacteria naturally live in coastal waters. Illness can occur when certain species enter an open wound or when a person eats raw or undercooked shellfish—especially oysters.

Learn from the CDC ↗

Simple steps matter

Before, during, and after the water

Before

Check for cuts, scrapes, recent procedures, piercings, or tattoos. When possible, stay out of salt or brackish water if skin is open.

During

If exposure cannot be avoided, cover the area completely with a waterproof bandage. Leave the water if you are cut.

After

Wash wounds thoroughly with soap and clean running water after contact with coastal water or raw seafood juices.

Don’t wait on rapidly worsening symptoms

Tell the medical professional that the wound was exposed to coastal water or raw seafood. Severe infections can progress quickly.

CDC guidance ↗

A student-led project

Awareness without alarm.

Emerald CoastAware NWFL began with one Northwest Florida student’s question: how can families get clear, useful information about coastal health risks before a day on the water?

Our goal is to translate trusted public-health guidance into practical steps—while directing visitors to official agencies for current advisories and medical professionals for personal advice.