Orange Beach, AL—Arrived to the Phoenix IV condominium complex June 12. Though the water has been “double red flagged” (a.k.a. Thou shalt not enter the waves), it hasn’t been slicked with oil, smelled like petroleum, or filled with tar balls either. I even braved the waves the other day and swam out into the Gulf a little bit—the water was warm, clear, and entirely pleasant.
It has been fascinating to see the Gulf oil disaster first hand, especially when the media have made it appear so much worse on television. One report showed Orange Beach’s waves propelling oil onto shore, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. I’ve seen some tar balls on shore—they are the consistency and color of brown sugar held together with creamed butter—and they are definitely the lesser of the two evils.
Unfortunately, news coverage has made these harmless balls a bigger deal than they really are. The restaurant owners, condo renters, and other businesses are suffering financially from this worse than they did during Katrina, based on my findings when I asked managers and workers.
Personal opinion—now is the time to head to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. There are less people here, therefore less traffic, less waiting at restaurants, and more personal space at the pools and on the beach. All in all, it’s been a very pleasant weeklong stay on the coast. I’m relaxed and ready to head back to Lexington and spend seven days getting ready for Italy.
Till next time, --kaitlin
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