Spring breakers are coming to Anna Maria Island beaches. There’s one item they will need
Spring break returns to the Bradenton area one year after COVID-19 infected the first Floridian, a Manatee County resident.
Much has changed since then, but the need for social distancing and mask wearing remain, say local officials.
“Ninety five percent of the counties in Florida go on spring break March 13-21,” Beach Patrol Chief Joe Westerman said.
On Anna Maria Island this week, beach goers seemed a decade or more older than your typical spring breaker. That will change next week when high school and college students head for the seashore.
What they will find, in addition to lots of white sand and blue-green water, are signs on the beach that say “maintain six-foot distance” and signs on business doors encouraging social distancing and mask wearing.
“Make sure when you come here, respect social distancing and enjoy our beaches. Leave only your footprints,” Westerman said.
That is a kinder, gentler message than a year ago, when Manatee beaches closed, along with most retail and restaurant dining rooms to curb the spread of the disease. Local beaches remained closed for six weeks before reopening in May.
Jim Brady, owner of a 57-year-old local business, West Coast Surf Shop, 3902 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, has no problem asking customers, in a nice way, to respect pandemic health protocols.
Both he and his wife have had COVID-19.
“It’s not like the flu. To me, you’re really tired for three to five days. And it messes with your thought process,” Brady said.
Brady doesn’t seek confrontation with his customers, but if anyone comes in without a mask, he will ask them to cover up. If the business gets over-crowded, he will ask some of the folks to step outside until it thins out.
In spite of the pandemic, Brady said West Coast Surf Shop had one of its best years ever.
In part, it was because of the growing demand to get outside, away from other people, in a healthy environment.
Eric Cairns, manager of Cedar Cove Resort and Cottages in Holmes Beach, where the “no vacancy” sign has been on for a while, has a similar story.
Cairns doesn’t expect any business from spring breakers, but he has had plenty from the 37 to 59-year-old demographic.
“It’s been really busy. It’s been the busiest March we have had in 21 years,” Cairns said of the pent-up demand for spending time on the beach.
“I ran the numbers for March and I had to do it again because I thought I had made a mistake. April is turning out to be as busy as March. The rest of the year is looking very promising, too,” Cairns said.
Spring break represents the beginning of Manatee County’s planning for a series of holidays, including Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, Westerman said.
It gets all the partners, including EMS, law enforcement, and the beach patrol, on the same page, regarding crowd levels, parking, and any beach incidents.
While spring break hits its high point next week, it will continue for some schools through the fourth week of April, Westerman said.
“Crowds are business as usual for us. We do our best work when people are enjoying the beach,” he said.
Westerman and his staff wear masks, too, when in close proximity to others, but that is not always possible, especially in case of a water rescue.
“Our entire island has enough attractions for anyone coming for spring break to enjoy, as long as they use common sense, stay socially distanced, swim near lifeguards, and check surf conditions to get advice on where to swim and where not to swim,” he said. “We are always there for their protection.”
Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said some of the spring break activity this year will be in Bradenton and in East Manatee, including:
- St. Paddy’s Day Invitational soccer tourney at Premier Sports Campus March 13-14
- IMG National Classic baseball tourney at IMG Academy March 29-April 1
- NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park March 18-21
- NFA 7v7 SE Regional football at IMG March 20-21
“We have a lot of bookings, and a lot of that is sports related,” Falcione said.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 10:14 AM.
