Lifeguards
Find out when and where lifeguards will be on duty this year and how to swim safely in the sea.
RNLI Lifeguard service
The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) manage the lifeguard service on our beaches, throughout the lifeguard season.
2026 season dates
- Main Season: 23 May 2026 to 6 September 2026
- Peak Season: 18 July 2026 to 6 September 2026
You can find the location, patrol times, safety information and a 5-day forecast for each beach site by following the links below.
Sites with a lifeguard service from Saturday, 23 May 2026:
- Dukes Mound Beach
- Palace Pier East Beach
- Palace Pier West Beach
- West Street Beach
- West Pier Beach
- Hove Lawns Beach
- King Alfred Beach
Sites with a lifeguard service from Saturday, 18 July 2026:
Read our sea swimming page for advice on how to stay safe on our beaches. The RNLI also provides information on how to stay safe along the coast and in the water.
Swimming zones and what the flags and buoys mean
Red and yellow flags on the beach show the swim areas. Swim between these flags if you wish to be supervised by lifeguards.
The red flag means lifeguards strongly advise against swimming due to dangerous conditions or water quality issues. Please stay clear of the water and ask a lifeguard if you need more advice.
The orange windsock means the wind is blowing offshore, and could send you out to sea rapidly. Please do not use inflatables when you see the orange windsock.
The chequered flag in Hove, west of the King Alfred, indicates the zone for Kite-Surfers and Wind-Surfers. These users must launch between these flags and stay clear of the swim area.
Boat lane buoys are cylindrical, yellow, and have "Boat Lane" on top. They indicate where boats and vessels may go in and out. On the beach, yellow poles line up with the boat buoys to indicate the lane.
See more information on seafront bylaws.
Swim buoys are located in the water in a box formation to define the swim zone. They are circular, yellow and say 'swim area'.
At an average high tide, the:
- nearest buoy is 150 metres out
- most southerly buoy 200 metres out
Stand-up paddleboards and kayaks are allowed in the swim area.
The following vessels are not allowed to enter the swim area:
- motorboats
- sailboats
- wind-surfers
- kite-surfers
- jet-skis