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SoWalSally

Beach Fanatic
Feb 19, 2005
649
49
http://www.waltonsun.com/news/gasoline_1710___article.html/parking_prices.html

So much for gasoline prices putting a damper on the Fourth of July weekend.

Everywhere one could think to look this weekend, it was evident that many people chose not to stay home.

The beaches were packed and Crab Island was buzzing. Kites filled the sky over Choctawhatchee Bay and all manner of watercraft buzzed in and out of Destin Harbor.

The sunset cruise ship Southern Star had a full load of passengers, and license plates from 15 states were seen simply by cruising the back two rows of The Boardwalk's parking lot on Okaloosa Island.

The tourists were here, all right.

Mike Booker of Birmingham, Ala., said he and his wife, Mirela, didn't really worry too much about the cost of gasoline when they planned their vacation. They just like coming to the beach.

"I just think about Europe and what they're paying," Booker said. "We're not there yet. We're still spoiled. I can't complain."

So little complaining from the tourists probably resulted in some grumbling from locals, though, as U.S. Highway 98 turned into a parking lot at times on both ends of the Brooks Bridge and in Destin.

"Y'all do have some bad traffic," said Brandy Harris of Denver, N.C. "Good Lord, getting out here was about impossible. I was like (boyfriend) ?Stefan, where'd all this traffic come from?' "

Capt. Shane Stewart with the Okaloosa Island Fire Department said traffic had been bad all weekend.

"We had lots of cars on the roads and lots of people at the beach," he said. "A friend of mine came over from Pensacola and it took him 2ᄑ hours."

Firefighters on the island, in Destin and in South Walton County reported lots of calls Friday and Saturday, but Stewart termed the majority "beach calls" that weren't too terribly serious.

South Walton County Fire District Chief Corey Harned said a lot of the calls his men answered were for minor traffic accidents on crowded roads.

"The good news is there are so many people on the road they can't get going fast enough to hurt each other," he said.


:dunno:

Seems relatively quiet now. Did people come late and leave early?
 

seagrovegirl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2008
3,885
454
Historic Old Point Washington
The 4th landed on a Friday and most folks had to check out on Saturday. Typically the houses and larger condos rent week to week, Sat. check-in and Sat check-out. So most of the 4th crowd are gone and the usual family stuff is left.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
I think it was every bit as busy as the last two years. The traffic was backed up almost to hwy 283 on July 5, as people were trying to leave.
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
Week of the 4th was very busy, but then I had to drive out to Miramar Beach for a dental appointment today, and I was surprised at how light the traffic seemed on 98.
 

beachpirate

Beach Lover
Feb 15, 2007
139
6
Montgomery
VERY busy in Destin
 

30A Skunkape

Skunky
Jan 18, 2006
10,286
2,312
53
Backatown Seagrove
The 4th was really busy. Our neck of Seacrest was packed to the bursting point with visitors. After the July 4th visitors departed things became quieter than any time since Memorial Day. I am interested to see what the occupancy is like this evening after house turnover.
 

rdelong43065

Beach Fanatic
May 28, 2007
678
121
58
Seagrove
I always guage how many people are in Seagrove by the number of bikes in front of Butterfly. The less bikes, the more people in town.
 

TreeFrog

Beach Fanatic
Oct 11, 2005
1,798
212
Seagrove
The 4th was really busy. Our neck of Seacrest was packed to the bursting point with visitors. After the July 4th visitors departed things became quieter than any time since Memorial Day. I am interested to see what the occupancy is like this evening after house turnover.

Well, if stuff left on the beach is any indication, they've all gone home. It almost looks like fall at the Ramsgate walkover. One tent, one tent frame, one kayak. That's it.
 
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