Holiday beachgoers in Naples not deterred by red tide in the gulf

While red tide effects are lessening, beachgoers might still notice some side effects like coughing and breathing issues at the beach this holiday weekend.

Many vacationers in Naples told us it’s been much better at the beach recently, and they are not going to let the effects of red tide change their plans for holiday fun in Southwest Florida during Thanksgiving weekend.

“Taste the saltwater; look at the sunset,” Jason Russell said. “Can’t get any better.”

The beaches, of course, are packed with visitors for the holidays. And people from places like Ohio, Colorado, Maine and many other places are here to enjoy the area for their holidays.

But, with red tide lingering, some visitors told us they didn’t expect it to be like this.

“I was coughing very much,” Luke Kraguljac said.

Some say it was more noticeable last weekend.

“Saturday, Sunday was bad,” Angela Wise said. “There were people coughing and stuff.”

Many vacationers say that once they heard red tide was at the beach, it made them more wary about going in the water.

“We’ve kind of backed off because of it,” Jake Landman said.

CROW Clinic on Sanibel Island has treated 22 marine animals for red tide symptoms over the past week. Those includes different species of birds and sea turtles. Nine have died since they were taken in for treatment, and two of them have been released back into the wild.

Amid the red tide effects being experienced by human and marine life, others say they will not let red tide concentrations affect their plans to hit the beach.

“We’re going to come to the beach every day no matter what,” Wise said. “Rather be coughing here on the sand and in front of the beautiful ocean than an upstate in the middle of a snowstorm.”