Bradenton reopens popular beaches closed because of COVID-19 but keep your distance
The signs along the Palma Sola Causeway have read, “Beach Closed,” for weeks due to the cornavirus pandemic, but on Tuesday they said something else.
“Practice Social Distancing.”
A little more than a week after Manatee County reopened the public beaches on Anna Maria Island, the city of Bradenton announced the reopening of its beach on Palma Sola Bay.
“It’s open as of today,” Jeannie Roberts, communications coordinator for the city, said Tuesday. “We are asking all who use these areas to practice social distancing and to use the areas responsibly.”
Deborah Corsile and Judy Davis were doing just that as they broke out lawn chairs, soaked up some sun and stayed 6 feet away from another.
Both Corsile and Davis said they typically go to the beaches on Anna Maria Island but take advantage of the causeway when they don’t want to deal with the crowds. The current pandemic was even a better reason to avoid the island and sit along the bay, Corsile said.
“It’s less crowded, less people so less worries,” Corsile said.
While is was nice to be back along the water, Corsile said she understands why the local governments shut down the beaches and hopes everyone will act responsibly.
“I worry because it seems like people are getting a little complacent with things starting to reopen again,” she said. “You go to the stores and no one is wearing masks again. People should be careful and take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their families.”
Corsile fears that people will not take social distancing practices seriously and everyone will be right back where it all started.
“The reason why everything had to be shut down is because people weren’t being responsible,” she said. “It’s selfish and self absorbed.”
Davis agreed, noting that the slow reopening is the right approach, though she expressed sympathy for those suffering financially right now.
“They just need to get everyone tested,” Davis said. “I’m all for reopening everything but get everyone tested and if you aren’t positive then get back to work. But I don’t understand why people don’t understand social distancing. I still see them all grouped together and this will only work if everyone social distances.”
Carl Schweickart was walking his dog Lola along the bay, admittedly not for the first time since the beaches were closed.
“It’s a little hard figuring out which side belongs to the city or the county so I was stopped by a Bradenton police officer one day, but he said he wasn’t going to chase me off,” Schweickart said. “This is where we normally come so it’s nice to be back out here and get back to some kind of normalcy, whatever normalcy is right now.”
Schweickart, too, said he believes the local governments did the right thing.
“I fully support that,” he said. “I know that does nothing for the businesses hurting right now, but it’s important for everybody to be concerned.”