Swim at Your Own Risk
A beach flying a blue flag is a special distinction. It means that beach has certain qualities that make it a decent, healthy, and safe place to spend a day in the sun. There are beaches with blue flags all over the world, with the most in Europe. Of those, Spain is the country with the most blue flags, even though it does not have the most coastline. Within Spain, Galicia is the region with the highest number of blue flags. But, this year some of those beaches have lost their flag, because one of the requisites is that there be a life guard. Too many beaches don't have life guards this year. Once upon a time, anyone who knew how to swim and had some knowledge of first aid could become a life guard. In 2012 the law changed. It stated that by 2017 all life guards had to complete a course of 340 hours in which they had to learn how to become a professional life guard, pass a rigorous physical exam, and be inscribed in the association of professional life guards. The courses can rea...