This past weekend my brother had his 37th birthday party on Pensacola Beach. We had a BBQ under a pavilion on what is affectionately known as "Mama's Beach" and the kids had a blast splashing around in the water. My brother's boss even stopped by with his boat and most of the kids went "tubing" around the intracoastal waterway. Everyone had an absolute blast and it was a memory we won't soon forget. Why is this such a remarkable story? Well, because it almost didn't happen!
My family and I live right in Pensacola, just minutes from the beach, and yet we had been duped by the news reports that our beaches were covered in oil. The sensationalist news media and its fear-based reporting had convinced us that in order to prevent coming home covered in black crude, we needed to have our party at my brother's house. It wasn't until I heard a report on the local radio that less than 1% of our beaches were affected by "extremely light" tar balls that we decided to move the party back to the beach...AND I'M SURE GLAD WE DID!!!
If it's possible for us locals to be convinced to change our plans, is it any surprise that those who have to make their reservations weeks in advance are cancelling in droves at the inaccurate reports that are coming for the national media? Is it any shock that so many parking places and restaurants sit empty, jet skis go unrented, and local business continue to suffer, when the only thing being reported is doom and gloom?
The fact is, things are not even close to as bad as they are represented on television, and our clean up crews are working overtime to assure that our beaches stay beautiful. So if you're from another part of the country and want to have a great time on the whitest beaches in America, don't forget about the Emerald Coast of Florida. It's still as beautiful as ever, and for the 1st time you don't have to fight traffic when you get here. It's truly a perfect time to make a trip our way.
See you at the boardwalk!
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