COLLIER COUNTY
More Collier County beaches are opening, including the North Gulf Shores access point and Vanderbilt Beach access points two, four and six.
Despite this, the water is still unsafe for swimming.
While the shores and streets around Vanderbilt Beach look a lot better than they did after Ian, don’t assume the water is completely safe.
Excess rain and storm due to increased levels of harmful bacteria.
But that hasn’t stopped Rich Kokur and family from coming to the beach, as they do from Pittsburgh twice a year.
“This is our kind of our place to go,” Kokur said.
The Florida Department of Health continues to urge everyone to stay out of the water.
Waterborne diseases are on the rise, and who knows what kind of garbage remains beneath the surface?
“We were just waiting, maybe up to our ankles. However, nothing more,” Kotsur said. “We’ve been keeping a very close eye on debris and glass that may be falling. So we opened our eyes.’
Although Kokur is aware of the risk, Colin Martin, who was staying in the area on a visit from Canada, was not.
“I haven’t seen any signage, I haven’t seen any ads, and it looks good. We didn’t see anything. I mean, it could be a cause for concern, but we haven’t seen anything and we don’t know much about it,” Martin said.
Due to widespread exposure, no signs are posted at these locations, according to the Collier County Health Department’s website.
