Red tide decisions

svt153 · 9 Jan 19, 05:17 PM

We are booked to stay in Sarasota in April, mainly because I want to go back to siesta key beaches. I am reading reports that the red tide is returning so we're thinking of cancelling that hotel and staying somewhere else. We really fancy St Augustine but we fly home from Miami and it's a 4.5 hour drive from St Augustine. We don't fly until 8pm so its doable but it seems like a really long drive pre-flight. The drive from Sarasota is 3.5 hours, which I guess is still quite long.

Any suggestions? We have 3 nights and want somewhere with nice beaches and things to do. It seems to be an expensive time of year so with sticking to our budget of preferably below �150 per night is tricky.

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Ta

sotagals · 9 Jan 19, 05:33 PM

Could you not do 2 nights in St Augustine and then have a night at the beach further south for your last night?

Melbourne is nice but as you say hotels are really pricey in April.

Guest · 9 Jan 19, 05:57 PM

Hoping it clears up quicker this year than last year. We have been early spring for years and had never heard of or seen signs of Red tide. We have 2 weeks booked at Rotonda on Gulf Coast. Last year we were there in the summer and the local beaches were a no go but drove down to Naples and it was clear.

Worth checking visitbeaches for most up to date info.

carolineonecat · 10 Jan 19, 12:45 AM

It�s getting much less thankfully - I stayed in July 2018 and thankfully just missed it but a week later my friend arrived and it was there , she travelled to different beaches daily that were ok and didn�t let it spoil her holiday .
I�m trying to keep everything crossed as 2 weeks on the beach booked again for July .good luck

svt153 · 10 Jan 19, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by carolineonecat

It�s getting much less thankfully - I stayed in July 2018 and thankfully just missed it but a week later my friend arrived and it was there , she travelled to different beaches daily that were ok and didn�t let it spoil her holiday .
I�m trying to keep everything crossed as 2 weeks on the beach booked again for July .good luck

Unfortunately there were high levels reported again in Sarasota earlier this week. I'm worried that as the warmer weather approaches it will only get worse.

KemlynUltra · 10 Jan 19, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by svt153

Unfortunately there were high levels reported again in Sarasota earlier this week. I'm worried that as the warmer weather approaches it will only get worse.

I saw those press reports as well. I�m so close to pressing the button on placing a deposit for a villa at AMI but it�s a huge gamble to do so.

carolineonecat · 11 Jan 19, 12:46 AM

It�s a difficult one to advice - the government seems to be keeping it very hush - I signed up for daily reports from mote - good luck x.

FloridaFi · 12 Jan 19, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by KemlynUltra

I saw those press reports as well. I�m so close to pressing the button on placing a deposit for a villa at AMI but it�s a huge gamble to do so.

We�ve gambled on an apartment in AMI in August. Nervous but have done it. Eek!

**buzzbuzz** · 19 Jan 19, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by svt153

Unfortunately there were high levels reported again in Sarasota earlier this week. I'm worried that as the warmer weather approaches it will only get worse.

We are booked for Longboat Key in April and the management company for our accommodation have said they have not had red tide there since Sept! I am wondering how true that is as the Mote reports suggest otherwise! Has anyone been there lately?

PerksP · 19 Jan 19, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by buzzbuzz

We are booked for Longboat Key in April and the management company for our accommodation have said they have not had red tide there since Sept! I am wondering how true that is as the Mote reports suggest otherwise! Has anyone been there lately?

We were in Siesta Key in the first week of January and it was all very clean and beautiful. We spent ten days moving up from Everglades city and saw very little evidence of any problems. The message at one restaurant on New Years Eve at Fort Myers Beach was "We are serving lots of alcohol tonight to FORGET 2018". They have had a terribly difficult year and a I really hope 2019 is better. The wildlife is there - we saw two dead fish on a beach but that was it. We did spend a lot of our time in the state and national parks which are beautiful places. There is a lot more to do in SW Florida than just beaches so if you do go and they are unlucky enough to have another red tide come in you won't be short of things to do.

9 Jan 19, 05:57 PM	#3
	9 Jan 19, 05:57 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	Hoping it clears up quicker this year than last year. We have been early spring for years and had never heard of or seen signs of Red tide. We have 2 weeks booked at Rotonda on Gulf Coast. Last year we were there in the summer and the local beaches were a no go but drove down to Naples and it was clear. Worth checking visitbeaches for most up to date info.