Although the sun has set on summer and the tourists have become fewer and farther between, it is crucial to stay vigilant when visiting the beaches this winter season.

Melvin Shepard, chief of staff for the Gulf Shores Fire and Emergency Services, said beach visitors should continue taking safety measures as the winter provides a whole new set of risks to beachgoers.

Hypothermia
Shepard said the riskiest part of taking a winter swim in the Gulf is the potential for hypothermia.

"There aren't a whole lot of people who get in the Gulf to swim when it's cold, but people need to understand that the colder water will remove heat from your body fast, and hypothermia and exhaustion will set in quickly," Shepard said.

Shepard said beach visitors should stay aware of the telltale signs of hypothermia: shivering and blue lips.

"The water temperature can become hypothermic beginning in the mid-70s and will continually remove heat from the body," Shepard said. "This can happen in the summertime, too, so if you start shivering, get out and dry off right away and get something on your head like a hat or beanie to keep from losing the heat from your head."

Shepard said that if you do choose to go for a swim, try to swim down the beach without your hands hitting the water.

"Get to where you're below the chest in the water, without your hands hitting the water," Shepard said. "If you swim far out from the shore, you mat get tired and not have enough energy to make it back."

Decreased lifeguard presence

Shepard said that while the city has previously removed all lifeguards in the winter, this year there will be a small staff patrolling the beaches. However, the coverage is significantly less than in the summer.

"We will have a staff of five or six lifeguards patrol the beach in the off season, but it's way down in the winter," Shepard said. "We typically don't run a lot of calls in the season."

Shepard also advised against entering the water during winter when red flags are flying on the beaches due to rougher surf conditions.

"For some reason, the surf seems to be rougher in the winter," Shepard said. "Just be aware of it. If it looks like a washing machine out there, don't swim. On a red flag day in the winter, there is a higher risk of cold water shock, and your body can tire much quicker than in the summer. I've been on the verge of hypothermia several times in my life, and it's not a place you want to be."

Shepard said that while he is not aware of the cause of the increase in rough surf, it could potentially be heightened by strong winds generated off shore during the colder months.

"Historically, it's rougher in the winter, and the waves are generated by having a lot of winds blowing on shore," Shepard said. "The waves are build where the wind generates off shore, and the duration it [winds] blows across the Gulf, that force creates large and small waves."

Marine life
While Shepard stated that there has not been a significant change in the presence of marine life, swimmers should be cautious of Portuguese man o'war, a marine species that closely resembles jellyfish.

"In the winter months, a lot of Portuguese man o'war tend to be prevalent," Shepard said. "Don't step on their tentacles, and avoid the urge to bury them in the sand. Even if you throw it far out or bury them, they can still sting for several days after drying out."

Shepard said he would also encourage any beachgoer and especially new visitor to shuffle their feet when they are walking through the water.

"Shuffling your feet through the sand and water will keep you from stepping on a stingray by causing vibrations that will typically make them move," Shepard said. "Be careful not to step on them, or they may jab and sting you."