Despite COVID-19, spring break crowds hit Anna Maria Island. DeSantis wants to stop that

The novel coronavirus is not stopping spring break crowds from flocking to Anna Maria Island.

On Monday, cars were lined up for miles on Gulf Drive, parking lots were full and shores were packed at beaches up and down the coastline. Families piled out of vans and SUVs, school-age children in tow, and headed for the waves.

Suntanning senior citizens were also mingled among the crowds spread out on chairs and blankets along Manatee and Coquina beaches. Some beachgoers sat apart from other people with ample distance in between, but others were in much closer quarters.

On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he wants to put an end to scenes like this because of the coronavirus pandemic.

During a news conference DeSantis expressed concern about large spring break crowds that continue to congregate at some beaches and announced that the state is adopting CDC guidelines for no groups of more than 10 people on Florida beaches. He added that distance should be maintained between groups.

However, the decision of whether or not to close beaches will still be left with local governments.

“Having talked to mayors, it’s certainly not uniform throughout the state that you’re seeing massive crowds at beaches,” DeSantis said. “Some of them are residents and families and small groups. If that is done properly spaced, we want them to have the freedom to do it. But also have the freedom to do more if they see fit.”

In Manatee County, Commissioner Carol Whitmore said the recommended guidelines are an important step when it comes to containing the novel coronavirus during the pandemic.

“You always have the ones who say it’s overkill, but as a healthcare provider, I think it’s a very good idea, especially during spring break when people from all over the world are in Manatee County,” said Whitmore, a registered nurse, in an interview with the Bradenton Herald. “I’m glad we have some direction.”

“We definitely have an issue, but we’re going get through this. We just have to be smart and everybody has to listen, because something you do could affect somebody else,” she added.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends distances of six feet or more between individuals to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Will county shut down Anna Maria Island beaches?

The CDC had also advised against gatherings of 250 people or more to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but the recommendation was drastically strengthened on Monday.

“During the next 15 days, all U.S. events of 10 or more people should be canceled or held virtually,” the CDC said.

Manatee County declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic on Monday afternoon, but leaders said there were no plans to close public beaches.

So far, that decision has been left up to local governments, with most opting not to shut down a major economic driver.

Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach have been among the exception so far.

DeSantis also furthered restrictions on the hospitality industry, announcing that bars and night clubs will be suspended as of 5 p.m. Tuesday for a period of 30 days.

“I think you’ve seen a lot of people congregating at some of these things,” DeSantis said. “We view that as something that could be problematic for spreading the virus.”

DeSantis added that younger people are “key” to restricting the virus.

COVID-19’s effects on beach businesses

A casual survey of businesses that serve the Anna Maria Island area on Monday found that some were operating as normal, while others were noticing changes in clientele.

Lazy Turtle Beach Rentals in Anna Maria has been very busy, an employee said over the phone.

In Cortez, family-owned H2O Watersportz and Reel Cortez Charters have felt the ripple effects of the coronavirus.

“We’re taking it with a grain of salt,” said Blossom McBath, who has co-owned the jet ski and boat rental company with husband Chris since 2007. “We just keep praying that we can sustain through this.”

McBath said the business has been getting six or seven cancellations a day — mostly from people who are no longer traveling to Florida because of travel restrictions.

But the fallout hasn’t all been bad.

McBath said that Floridians who no longer had plans to travel or visit theme parks for spring break have come to Anna Maria Island to see family instead, and they have helped make up for some of the lost business.

The McBaths are holding off on booking any more split charter boat rentals for now.

McBath said that the jet ski rides are a way to have fun without being in a crowd, and the company also offers the only rentals around Anna Maria Island that allow customers to ride without a guide.

At Surfer Bus, which offers kayak and paddleboard rentals on the Palma Sola Causeway for cruising the waters of Robinson Preserve, business is usually a 50-50 split between tourists and locals, according to Shawn Duytschaver.

But this spring break season locals are making up more of the traffic.

“I would say I’m not sold out as quickly as some years, but my numbers are still the same — people are still getting it done,” Duytschaver said. “It’s a little tighter.”

Duytschaver said that compared to going to the beach where people are huddled up, kayak rides are more solitary and out in the open.

Though the virus may have deterred out-of-town spring break visitors, local students were still getting outdoors.

Among them was Cameron Ostenson, a senior at Braden River High School, who was at Coquina Beach with a friend on Monday.

The coronavirus had ruined their plans to rent an Airbnb on the island and go tubing, Ostensen said, and she also worried that the extended break for Manatee County schools could affect her graduation.

But they were still managing to make the best of the time off at the beach.

Small business relief available

For small businesses in Florida facing uncertainty because of the coronavirus, some relief came into sight on Monday afternoon.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the activation of a state loan program that will allow businesses with between 2 and 100 employees to receive zero-interest loans of $50,000.

“The short-term, interest-free loans are intended to ‘bridge the gap’ between when a major catastrophe occurs and when businesses can secure longer term recovery resources,” Manatee Chamber of Commerce CEO Jacki Dezelski said in a press release.

The application for the program is available online at floridadisasterloan.org and will remain open through May 8.

Staff writer Ryan Callihan contributed to this story.

This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 12:32 PM.