Tourists, surfers stay on Orange Beach ahead of Debby

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WALA) - As the morning sun greeted the skies over Orange Beach, pounding waves took their toll on the shore. The beach was filled with onlookers, but no swimmers.

Double red flags flew along the beaches ahead of Tropical Storm Debby Monday, warning swimmers to keep out of the water.

For surfer Mike Jenkins, double red flags can be a welcome sign.

"I think we got about four hours of sure bliss,” said Jenkins.

As clouds continued to fill the skies, surfers filled the water, taking advantage of the opportunity. Surfers are allowed in the water since they have a flotation device — their surfboard — attached to them.

One surfer said, "I just got off at 5 in the morning, got a phone call: there's surfing. Alright, let's go!"

Normally, Orange Beach is not known for its surfing.

"No, not at all,” said Jenkins. “So we chase storms."

While the brave ones venture out, local officials monitor the conditions. A blanket of dark clouds in the skies to the east contrasted the skyline to the west, blue and picturesque.

Powerful waves are expected to continue to pound the coast over the next few days ahead of the tropical storm, which is expected, at meteorologist's best guess, to make landfall around midweek.

In the meantime, Florida officials will be watching for beach erosion.

Some Orange Beach tourists thought about leaving, but Hillary Robinson just got here with her family this morning from Tennessee.

She's staying optimistic.

Robinson thinks the weather will clear up in the next few days, but she does have one request: sun.

"I just want to see some sun,” said Robinson. “We need some sun."

So, Robinson, along with emergency officials across the region, have their fingers crossed.