Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Updates

Naples, Florida and its stunning beaches are indeed open for enjoyment and there has been no projected landfall to our sugar-white shores. Naples’ beaches have not been impacted in anyway by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Putting the Oil Spill into Perspective for Visitors to Naples, Florida

In light of the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, many ponder visits to the Sunshine State not knowing how travel to the region might be affected. It's a natural reaction that we've postponed our plans as we watch the daily news, wondering when a solution will be found. Many travelers wonder what this might mean for Naples, Florida and the splendid beaches in Southwest Florida. So, we offer our perspective as follows:

The leaking pipe is located 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana.
The oil leak is nearly 1,000 miles from Naples.
As the oil dissipates, the effects become less devastating.

Probability of Oil Reaching Naples The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts less than a 1% chance of the oil affecting the beaches of Naples, FL and the greater Collier County. NOAA used modeling of historical wind and ocean currents to project where oil from the Deepwater Horizon / BP oil spill will travel in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to ParadiseCoast.com, a website run by The Naples, Marco Island and Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, "tar balls and oil from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill have reached the shore in Pensacola and other areas of the Florida Panhandle. The Panhandle is located in the far northwest corner of Florida, over 700 miles from Southwest Florida's Paradise Coast. This occurrence has no impact on the beaches of Naples."

Hurricanes

Keep in mind that hurricanes are tropical storms which always develop in ocean waters. Hurricanes which travel through the Gulf of Mexico always start in the south and travel in a northerly direction. Never will a hurricane develop on land and travel south. Since all of the oil is still largely concentrated in the Northern most portion of the Gulf of Mexico, far north of Naples, a hurricane blowing oil onto the beaches of SW Florida is next to impossible. Coastlines north of the oil spill are most at risk with hurricane activity.

Effects on Other Parts of Florida

Even after continuous flow for over two months, the oil slick is still largely concentrated in the northwest area of the Gulf of Mexico. Based on NOAA's predictions, other parts of Florida' west coast have up to a 20% chance of oiling. The Florida Keys, Miami & Fort Lauderdale areas have a greater probability (61 - 80%) due to the potential influence of the Loop Current.

Contradicting reports exist, making an accurate measurement of how much oil has leaked or continues to leak indeterminable. But consider how much oil it is in comparison to the vast amount of water in the Gulf of Mexico. Watch TV reports and compare the images of the very thick oil which has reached the Louisianan marshlands to the small tar balls being picked up by hand off the beaches in Florida's panhandle (still some 700+ miles north of Naples).

Final Thoughts

As time passes, we are hopefully closer to finding a way to stop the flow. Thankfully, BP and the US Government seem to have become more effective at containing the leak and cleaning near the source. These efforts further diminish the likelihood of oil traveling so far as to reach Southwest Florida.

These opinions are certainly not scientific. They are merely a compilation of our own best assessment as we gather information daily from numerous sources. This Deepwater Horizon Spill is unprecedented and even the best of scientists and engineers don't really know for sure what to expect. We, here at Naples Florida Vacation Homes, LLC share our concerns for those in northerly Gulf Shore communities who are most affected by the oil spill. We have equal concerns for the impact to wildlife and the local ecosystems at jeopardy. We remain hopeful that a solution to stop the leak is nearing and that containment, collection and clean up efforts continue to improve with time.

White Sand Guarantee

Travel with Confidence!
Good news for Naples!

Naples, with its white sandy beaches, golf courses galore, abundant nature lover's adventures, loads of family fun activity, and more, continue to make it a top choice destination for Fun in the Sun. Naples’ beaches have not been impacted in anyway by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. However, for our guests considering a future visit to Naples, in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Naples Florida Vacation Homes, LLC offers its guests a special White Sand Guarantee. With our White Sand Guarantee, guests can set their concerns about the Golf of Mexico oil spill aside and book their beach getaway vacation with confidence.

Through the White Sand Guarantee, visitors whose vacations are disrupted by direct impacts from the oil spill will receive a "no hassles" full refund for their booking by Naples Florida Vacation Homes, LLC. A disruption occurs when impacts from the spill require a governmental agency to actively clean the beach, or if a governmental agency closes the beach due to public safety concerns related from the spill.