Beachgoers Swimming In The Gulf

Despite a health advisory in effect, lifeguards in Gulf Shores have raised "yellow flags" at the beach, allowing beach-goers to swim in the Gulf of Mexico. The yellow flags were raised Thursday afternoon. Before that, double red-flags, meaning the water is closed to swimmers, were flying.

Tar balls continue to wash ashore and aircraft spotters have seen an oil slick near the beach, but city officials in Gulf Shores say the sheen isn't threatening the main public beach because north winds are pushing the oil away from the coastline.

In Orange Beach however....city officials are still flying double red-flags. Officials there say as long as a swimming advisory is posted by the Baldwin County Health Department, they'll keep the Gulf closed to swimmers.

Further east in the Perdido Key, Florida, area, health officals in Escambia County have lifted the swimming advisory. Gulf waters from the Alabama-Florida state line to Johnson Beach are open.