Area Beaches Still Make Splash
Published: May 25, 2006
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DUNEDIN - The Tampa Bay area has lost bragging rights as home of the best beach in America, but we haven't slipped very far in the eyes of renowned expert Dr. Beach.
The north beach at Fort DeSoto Park, "America's Best Beach" for 2005, was retired as reigning champ Wednesday.
Stephen Leatherman, a Florida International University professor of coastal research known as Dr. Beach, picked Fleming Beach Park in Maui, Hawaii, as America's Best Beach for 2006.
The beach at Caladesi Island State Park near Dunedin, one of Dr. Beach's perennial favorites, has climbed into the No. 2 spot, however, and appears poised for top honors, possibly next year.
"I spent a delightful day over there a few months ago," Leatherman said of Caladesi, which can be reached by passenger ferry via Honeymoon Island State Park to the north.
"A lot of people don't realize it's that close to Tampa," he said. "You feel like you're a world away. You have a huge beach all on your own with beautiful white sand and crystal clear water."
Leatherman uses 50 criteria to rate beaches. He looks at water and sand quality along with amenities and safety factors. The only hazard at Caladesi are the stingrays, and they can be avoided by shuffling your feet and making noise, Leatherman said.
"I visit the top 10 beaches every year. Somebody has to do it," he said.
State and local tourism officials said they relish the chance to tout Dr. Beach's findings in worldwide marketing campaigns.
"To be anywhere on the list is an honor," said Betsy Couch of Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency.
"We put it on everything: 'Home of the No. 1 park,' " Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Missy Pike said of Fort DeSoto's former top ranking. "It's sad to see it go, but we can always keep bragging it was No. 1 in 2005."
So far this year, attendance at Fort DeSoto is up by about 200,000 visitors, a more than 7 percent increase, according to Pinellas County Parks and Recreation Operations Manager Leah Hoffman.
Leatherman's consistent ranking of Florida beaches among the top 10 helped the state win this year's National Gold Medal Award for state parks, according to Sarah Williams of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
In Florida, only Caladesi Island and 10th-ranked Barefoot Beach Park in Bonita Springs made Dr. Beach's list this year.
That is partly because at least five other Florida beaches, including Fort DeSoto, Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys, and three state park beaches in the Panhandle, have been retired from contention after winning top honors, Leatherman said.
"We've had a lot of national winners in Florida," Leatherman said. "Florida dominates the list even over Hawaii, which surprises a lot of people."
Reporter David Sommer can be reached at (727) 799-7413.
