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Gulf Coast or Atlantic for beach/swimming?

C

CAROLW

TUG Member
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Location
Barnegat,New Jersey
I was thinking of trying to trade into the new Marriott on Marco Island during the first week of November. But I just read a post about why swimming in the gulf is not desirable. It seemed like most of the negatives occurred during the summer months.

The other option is an easier trade into the Marriott in Palm Beach. We have 7 year old twins who are comfortable playing in the Atlantic Ocean, (we live near the ocean in Jersey). However, I have a thing about jellyfish and won't go near the water if I think they are around. Not sure if there are jellyfish in the ocean at that time of year.

Any thoughts/advice?
 
I'm not sure whether there's a jellyfish season in Florida. It seems to me that we see more of them when the water's warm, but essentially they're unpredictable. They can show up along the beaches on both the Gulf and Atlantic side.
 
A few thoughts...

Having visited both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida many times, I have consistently found the Gulf to be better for swimming than the Atlantic. In fact, I think that the Gulf is a great place to swim.

Here are a few reasons:

1) It's usually calm. The Gulf has smaller waves and is generally quite calm.

2) In most places, the Gulf has a gentle slope out into the water. Even small children can often go a long way out and still touch the bottom. In contrast, the Atlantic has steep drop offs in many areas.

3) Very little undertow in most places. Most Gulf beaches do not have a problem with undertow.

I read the post in another thread that you are referring to which listed all of the bad things about swimming in the Gulf. Quite frankly, I was a bit surprised by the negative tone. It was written by a Florida resident who obviously doesn't work for the Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Board. :)
More seriously, there are potential hazards with swimming in any open water area like the ocean or gulf or a bay. Those mentioned in the other thread certainly aren't unique to the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, many of them are worse in the Atlantic...not better.

For example, the Singer Island/Palm Beach Shores area that you are considering is a very popular location on the Atlantic side of Florida. It's home of Marriott's Ocean Pointe and the new Marriott Oceana Palms. But it has some serious issues when it comes to swimming. Have you read about all of the shark sightings there? It has some of the most sharks of any beach in the whole USA. Also, there is a steep drop from the beach into the ocean. And there can be rogue waves. A year or two ago, an elderly woman who was walking along the beach with friends...not even in the water...was swept out to sea and never found.

Based on all of this, you might want to cross the Atlantic side off your list. Or not. I'm just trying to give some perspective as I don't believe the Gulf beaches to be a high risk area compared to others. Indeed, I think that the Gulf side of Florida is safer than the Atlantic.

Steve
 
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I like both the Atlantic and the Gulf for different reasons.

The Gulf usually has clearer water. The gulf in most places has whiter, softer sand. The Gulf has gentler waves (on average). The Gulf is usually warmer. The Gulf has better fishing IMO.

The Atlantic has bigger waves for surfing and boady boarding. The Daytona New Smyrna area has hard packed sand easier to walk on or ride a bike on. You can drive your car on some of the Atlantic beaches.

Both can have jellyfish problems at certain times of the year. Both can have deadly rip tides and undertow, although I think they are more common on the atlantic side.I have never seen a drowning on the Gulf side, but I have seen a person drown on the Atlantic side near the Daytona Beach Pier many years ago. When I was in Daytona 2 years ago, 2 teenagers were swimming and couldn't be found. When I left town they still hadn't been found a couple of days later and were assumed to have drowned. I have never been close to being sucked out to sea on the Gulf side, but I have been close to being in serious trouble in rough water on the Atlantic side. The Atlantic has more shark attacks, and in fact the New Smyrna Ponce de Leon Inlet area has more shark attacks than anywhere in the USA. For safety I feel that the Gulf wins hands down.

I have been to both the Atlantic and Gulf numerous times and I will hopefully go back to both many times in the future. If I had to pick one I would choose the Gulf for the clear water and the white sand at many locations that is second to none anywhere in the world. If you haven't been to either, choose the Gulf first IMO. If you have been to one or the other, try the one you have yet to visit and see which you like better.
 
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I would pick the gulf side for the water and the incredible beaches.
 
But do be aware that the sand is NOT soft, etc. in Marco Island. There are tons of shells (fun for the kids but do it in the early a.m. before the walkers crunch them) on the beach so beach/water shoes are the way to go. I LOVE Marco Island in November!!!! I live on the Atlantic coast and I have to tell you that alot of people go to Marco for the weekend from the Boca area.
 
The sand is soft and cool and flat for walking on Crescent Beach, Siesta Key. The water is generally quite calm and gradually gets deeper as you walk from shore. We were just swimming this morning. It was wonderful!
 
Totally agree with Sherry S. - Siesta Key has my vote for beautiful beach - just had my two grandkids there and they loved it (ages 7 & 9).
 
The panhandle from Gulf Shores Alabama to Panama City Beach Florida has the whitest soft powdery sand I have ever seen. The beaches are wonderful to walk on, lay on, and the ocean is great to swim in. You will be very happy if you choose the panhandle for your vacation.
 
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I have been on both coasts numerous times. Sorry, but this seems to be a real Duh issue to me. Gulf coast hands down. Agreed with Sherry on Siesta Key. Doesn't get any better unless I go to the Caribbean. That's why we plan on retiring in the Sarasota-Bradenton area.
 
East or West? The perennial question.

I am an East Coast Girl. I love the sound of the surf crashing into the shore. I love the brown sand. I love the salty smell of The Atlantic.

The West Coast of Florida bores me to death. And, you always have the risk of Red Tide on the West Coast.
East or West? Never the twain shall meet. But, for me it is East Coast all the way. I own 2 weeks @ Marriott Ocean Pointe so I am declaring my bias right up front!

Smooth Air:cool:
 
smoothair said:
East or West? The perennial question.

I am an East Coast Girl. I love the sound of the surf crashing into the shore. I love the brown sand. I love the salty smell of The Atlantic.

The West Coast of Florida bores me to death. And, you always have the risk of Red Tide on the West Coast.
East or West? Never the twain shall meet. But, for me it is East Coast all the way. I own 2 weeks @ Marriott Ocean Pointe so I am declaring my bias right up front!

Smooth Air:cool:
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I have been vacationing on both the gulf coast and the Atlantic coasts for many decades and I have only experienced the red tide one time. My one experience with the red tide was in Daytona Beach in October of 2007. http://www.wesh.com/weather/14276525/detail.html It didn't stop me from body surfing or swimming in the ocean, but it did make me cough a lot.
 
Having done both coasts for 50 years, I prefer the Gulf for little kids because it is more like a lake. They can walk out farther into the water and not worry about waves. I can walk out into the Gulf for 100 feet and still be in 4 feet of water. You can't do that in the Atlantic. The East coast is more fun for teens who like to body surf and prefer the waves. Now that I'm older, I live in Marco because I prefer the calmer, shallower water for swimming. There are more shells on the Gulf side, which makes walking a bit more difficult at times, but I prefer that to the softer sand that you sink into when you walk. It's funny how the beaches can be so different, but they are.
 
Spent my younger years going to the East Coast: Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach, Melborne Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Ft. Laud Beach, Hollywood Beach. Grew up going there as often as possible. Today I prefer the Gulf. I find it more relaxing and both my Sons learned to swim on the Gulf side.
 
Sea Six said:
Having done both coasts for 50 years, I prefer the Gulf for little kids because it is more like a lake. They can walk out farther into the water and not worry about waves. I can walk out into the Gulf for 100 feet and still be in 4 feet of water. You can't do that in the Atlantic. .
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The water is so clear in the gulf that you can count your toes when you are standing in 4 foot of water. You can't do that in the Atlantic either.
 
tombo said:
The water is so clear in the gulf that you can count your toes when you are standing in 4 foot of water. You can't do that in the Atlantic either.
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That's because in the Atlantic you wouldn't have ANY toes to count ! :rolleyes:

K.
 
In all fairness, even though most of the shark bites have been near Daytona, there was a boy bitten in the foot at Sanibel last week.
 
I enjoy both coasts every summer. However, I wouldn't return to the Palm Beach area again in the summer. The Atlantic was too warm and spawned all kinds of baby jelly fish (they called them "sea lice"). My sons were bitten all inside their bathing suits. We couldn't go on the beach all week.
 
I was body surfing at Ft. Lauderdale Beach yesterday and they had a warning up for "Man of War". (jellyfish).

Didn't see or feel anything, thank goodness.
 
Lots of nasty things in the Atlantic we don't worry about here in the Gulf. Reminds me when I was a kid in Ft Lauderdale, my grandmother would always have a can of lighter fluid in her beach bag to get the grease off our feet from the big ships. I much prefer the gulf side now.
 
UWSurfer said:
I was body surfing at Ft. Lauderdale Beach yesterday and they had a warning up for "Man of War". (jellyfish).

Didn't see or feel anything, thank goodness.
Click to expand...

Are you sure "MAN OF WAR" warning didn't mean.... Somali Pirates nearby.....? :confused:

K.
 
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