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Old 06/28/2005, 08:12 PM
hsvtoolfool hsvtoolfool is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 306
Boy, it THIS thread in the wrong forum.

Anyhoo...

I think water quality is pretty much the same for the entire Gulf
panhandle area. When it's good in Destin/Ft Walton, it's good in
Gulf Shores. You may have to go much farther South towards
Tampa/Miami to get consistently clear, perfect water. Any Tampa
people want to advise?

The water was fairly murky this Spring when I was in Destin for a
volleyball tournament. But water quality in the Gulf panhandle
varies from year to year and is unpredictable. Hurricane season
affects it a lot. I've never been able to predict jellies and seaweed
blooms, which is my major beef. Sometimes the water's awesome
and clear as the Caribbean. Other years, the water is murky and
full of nutrients and stingers.

Ignoring water quality, the Destin/Ft Walton area is by far my
favorite beach destination. Destin gets more single folks in their
late 20s to early 40s. That's my age group and the clubs are
really fun. Gotta visit "The Swamp" and "Howl at The Moon" and
eat some gumbo at "The Crab Trap"! Gulf Shores has too many
young families with little kids. Not fun to eat out there. Panama is
mostly drunk high-school/freshman college kids. Guaranteed car
accident on the Miracle Strip. Bleah.

Gulf Shores does have two avantages over Destin. Biloxi and
some very nice riverboat casinos like Beau Rivage are just an
hour away down I-10. Also, golf is usually cheaper.

Hope this helps.