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No Signs of Oil on the Pristine Beaches of South Walton, Fla.
Story and Photos By Jane Banaszek
After a week on the Beaches of South Walton, the only oil I saw was in my sunscreen. Anyone with plans or concerns about vacationing in this area on the Gulf of Mexico, have no fear—the beaches are clear.
Some of my family and I spent the last week of July and first week of August this year at Seagrove Beach, Florida. Seagrove Beach is one of the small communities under the umbrella of the Beaches of South Walton, located between Destin and Panama City along Scenic 30A State Hwy. on the Gulf coast. Seagrove, situated roughly mid way on 30A, is quiet with primarily residential with rental homes and condos.
Towns along 30A (which parallels Hwy. 98 to the north) have inviting names such as Seaside, Watercolor, Water Sound, Blue Mountain, Aly’s Beach and Seagrove. All of these beachside communities are pedestrian/bicycle friendly. In fact, on one busy afternoon it seemed bicycles outnumbered cars in Seaside. Drivers have to be on the lookout for distracted and inexperienced bike riders.
Seaside, west of Seagrove, is the best bet for restaurants and shopping. Seaside has a town center layout with most amenities within walking distance. For a greater variety of activities and dining choices you can travel west on Hwy 98 towards Destin.
My favorite natural feature of the Beaches of South Walton are the coastal dune lakes.
Dune lakes are only found in a few places in the world, including these on the Gulf of Mexico. When a lake reaches the high water level, it breaks through the dune system and beach and empties into the Gulf. Depending on tides and wind, saltwater may enter the lake, along with saltwater plants and animals. There are 15 named lakes along the route, but we only explored Grayton Beach State Park’s lake. A nature trail winds through sand dunes around Western Lake.
During the week of our visit, there was an unusual amont of alga in the ocean and deposited on shore at high tide. I’m not sure of the causes of this algae invasion. Depending on the source, it’s a result of BP oil in the Gulf, seepage from booms laid across inlets and rivers, or a natural event.
Twice while enjoying the ocean, a clean-up crew patrolled the beach looking for tar balls and signs of oil. I can gladly report that they made few stops to pick items up while in my sight. At least once a day, a jeep made a pass also, I assume, checking on beach conditions. Helicopters were also observed several times, again assumed, monitoring ocean and beach conditions.
An afternoon spent off Scenic 30A included breakfast at Another Broken Egg in Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin and shopping. Sandestin is located ten miles east of Destin.
Pineapple Willey’s in Panama City Beach was a destination for dinner one evening. Pineapple Willy’s is a tourist stop families with children will enjoy. There is inside and outside dining on a pier extending over the beach to the ocean. The kids will love it. (see other story on this page for more information on the Beaches of South Walton)
On the drive from Destin to New Orleans (Hwy. 98, I-110 and I-10) we passed through Gulf Shores Natural Seashore, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, and the communities affected by the BP oil spill. There were no obvious signs of the oil spill disaster that we observed along the way.
Boats were seen offshore at Destin, Ft. Walton Beach, and in Mobile and Pensacola bays with no oil spotted. We only saw a few booms near the wetlands near Pensacola.
The Beaches of South Walton still make for a great and memorable beach vacation, now more than ever with the $250 gift cards (see the gift card story below.)
Beaches of South Walton Reward Travelers with $250 Gift Cards
WALTON COUNTY, – Beaches of South Walton Florida are enticing travelers to visit the scenic Gulf Coast destination during August and September by offering $250 gift cards good for either shopping at Silver Sands Factory Stores or for future travel on Southwest Airlines. To promote the effort, the destination launched www.250reasons.com to show visitors why they should book now.
“Beaches of South Walton is still the place to BE – the place to be inspired, to be rejuvenated, and most of all, to be rewarded,” said Dawn Moliterno, executive director of the Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council. “We know many of our loyal visitors have been concerned about the Gulf oil incident, but our 15 beach communities are open for enjoyment and we’re ready to prove it with this reward.”
Anyone who books three nights or more for a stay by Sept. 30, 2010, will receive either a $250 gift card for shopping at Silver Sands Factory Stores, the nation’s largest designer outlet center, or for future travel on Southwest Airlines, which began service to the destination in May.
Vacationers, who travel to Beaches of South Walton August 13-15, will also be rewarded with Florida’s tax-free holiday for back-to-school items. Silver Sands offers more than 100 factory direct stores with designer merchandise at up to 75 percent off retail price.
“August and September is a great time to visit Beaches of South Walton as the destination features a number of exciting activities, including the annual Autumn Tides celebration that begins Sept. 1.”
Autumn Tides is a three-month celebration of the art, culture, food, and natural surroundings that make this coastal community unique. The program features a line-up of classic and new events for visitors who want to see the colors of fall in a new way. For a full list of fall events, visit www.BeachesofSouthWalton.com.
The rewards program is good only for stays with official Beaches of South Walton lodging partners listed on the accommodations section of the destination’s website. Gift cards will be distributed at the Beaches of South Walton Visitor Information Center to guests with a printed and dated deposit receipt, the paid receipt from their three-night stay, which includes promotional code (BSW250) and valid driver’s license.
Funding for the program is being provided through a grant from BP as part of the destination’s effort to boost late summer travel to the GulfCoast. For more information about Beaches of South Walton, visit www.BeachesofSouthWalton.com or contact the Visitor’s Center at (800) 822-6877.
