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24 July 2010
WILL THE PRISTINE FORGOTTEN COAST RETURN TO 'BUSINESS AS USUAL'?
As anticipated, much of the protective boom encasing Florida's Forgotten Coast has been removed in anticipation of a breeze from Bonnie. The move was made to keep the floating oil barriers from self destructing and to make sure they can't cause serious environmental damage to the areas that they were suppossed to protect.
Even though no oil has even come close to the Forgotten Coast, the booms were put in place as a "proactive" maneuver "just in case." It is anticipated that Bonnie will push the already leaked oil further to the west and even further away from this region.
That gives rise to a most significant question: will the protective booms be placed back in the bays and Gulf?
There are many who believe it isn't going to happen.
With the well capped; much oil collected; and the Forgotten Coast seemingly out of harms way for the immediate future; it is very possible that authorities will determine there is no need for the bulky boom to be deployed again. That, if it can be removed and deployed in just 48 hours the crews can wait and start deployment if and when the oil this way.
Before the arrival of breezy Bonnie the NOAA predictions called for about a 40% chance of oil hitting our shores. Our guess is the percentage will now drop even lower.
There is also an economic factor.
Someone has to pay the bills and there is little or no chance that "at risk" boom deploying companies are going to be anxious to go out on a financial limb if they don't receive full blessings from the bill payers.
Speaking of economics, for the last three months the Forgotten Coast has been exisitng in a false economy and it will be interesting to watch how things evolve.
Hopefully, things will return to "business as usual."
BP passed out $5,000 checks to area oystermen almost immediately after the spill. Big mistake!
The state opened the local oyster bars to allow as much tonging as possible before disaster struck. It certainly made sense at the time and given the circumstances. Some of the harvesters headed for Disneyland with their checks. Local dealers complained that they couldn't get enough harvesters to fill their orders. Prices went up. Restaurant owners suffered. Consumers suffered. My gallon of shucked oysters went up to $60 and I felt fortunate.
Now the head honcho for the local oystermen is complaining that there are no more oysters in Apalachicola Bay and workers will have nothing to harvest this winter. And she wants harvesters to be compensated. About 1,200 oyster licenses were issued for this year but is unlikely even half of the 1,200 are actually active harvesters. More likely around 200 to 300.
BP representatives hired "Vessels of Opportunity." For $1,200 a day and up. Some local charter boat captains gave up their "day job" to take advantage and to help. Leaving their longtime summer customers stranded and seeking alternative means of transportation and guidance.
Tourism related businesses and organizations immediately felt the pinch as "perception" caused cancellations during the peak season. Promotion was ramped up thanks to a ton of BP money. $25 million in Florida alone. Forgotten Coast Tourist Development Councils and Chambers of Commerce did an excellent job of getting the "Coast is Clear" message out and the Horizon impact was nearly as bad as it could have been.
But we are now heading into August - a mixed blessing month on the Forgotten Coast. After the curtain climbers head back to school the summer swimming season subsides and the area relies on the "empty nesters" and the weekend fishermen and true sun and beach lovers for their business.
The reservations for August are down. But that doesn't mean that they will stay down. A rental manager we talked to on St. George Island remained optimistic that, now that the well is capped, that the phones will start ringing. And noted that through all of this many homeowners in the rental pool have become more flexible and are allowing reservations for less than the traditional week.