[ad_1]
Posted at 9:01 am ET on May 23, 2019 |
Kailua Beach Park in Hawaii has been selected as the best stretch of sand for an annual list of the best public beaches in the United States, established by Professor Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University, also known as from "Dr. Beach". (May 23)
AP, AP
KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) – At Kailua, the sand is white and soft, the water is clear and calm and the view is exactly what you expect from a beach in the Hawaiian Islands.
This is one of the reasons why Oahu's Kailua Beach Park has been chosen as the best stretch of sand for an annual list of the best beaches in the United States.
Stephen Leatherman, coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University, wrote the list under the pseudonym "Dr. Beach "since 1991.
Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate the beaches. The most important categories are the cleanliness of the water, the safety and environmental management of the beach and its facilities. Leatherman uses data from the US Environmental Protection Agency to assess the quality of beach water and has looked at all the ranges on its list.
Kailua Beach, a favorite of former President Barack Obama, has received many accolades, including the biggest beach in the world by "Dr. Beach". (Photo: Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY & # 39; HUI)
Hawaii's beaches are consistently ranked among the best, sometimes at the top of its list.
"I love Waikiki Beach. No question about it – a world famous beach – but Kailua is much smaller and quieter, "Leatherman said. "It's so much more peaceful. … you do not have big heights and all that. Kailua is on the other side of the mountains. It's like a different world. "
In recent years, Leatherman has granted additional credit to beaches that prohibit smoking, which all Oahu beaches do. He thinks that other beaches in the state and country should do the same.
Leatherman also looks for soft, powdery white sand, a wealth in abundance in Kailua Beach Park.
Vari Singh and his family were visiting Oahu from Los Angeles and spent a day in Kailua.
"The color of the sea is something we have never seen before. The sand is super soft and fun to play, it makes good sandcastles, "she said as her daughter wiped the sand off her face. "And the scenery is beautiful, you just crossed the hill and it's just that majestic scene of green ocean."
Leatherman has acknowledged that not everyone appreciates the advertising that his listings give to the larger beaches.
"I have a lot of people who are very happy about that. They like to know where to go, "said Leatherman. But "I always have a little recoil. Oh yes, people say, "Oh no, we already have too many people coming here. What are you doing? It's almost like they think it's a secret beach or something of the sort. (Kailua) is not a secret beach. It's a real gem however. "
Braden Marquez, 18, who grew up in Kailua, worries about prison overcrowding but also hopes for the future of his hometown.
"This beach is special for me just because my family has been here for years and years," he said, noting that the area has changed a lot since he was a child.
"My biggest concern would be to lose the local population because of the influx of people," he said during a recent visit to the beach. "But other than that, I'm very excited about all the new stuff coming."
During the first 25 years of the ranking, any beach that was first on the Leatherman list was not eligible to be included in subsequent years. But in 2015, Mr. Beach cleared all the beaches of the country to be eligible again, which helped reset the clock – and perhaps the relevance – of his annual contest.
Kailua was named the best beach in 1998, making it a winner twice.
Leatherman removes the new winners and posts them on his website.
Other beaches featured on this year's list are Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on Outer Banks, North Carolina, in second place, followed by Grayton Beach National Park in the Panhandle of Florida; Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York; Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Oahu; Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin-Clearwater, Florida; Hapuna State Beach Park on the Big Island of Hawaii; Coronado Beach, San Diego, California; and Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Leatherman's goal is to produce this list annually by rewarding safe, high-quality beaches that combine nature, accessibility and convenience. He hopes that the beaches that are not on his list will bring changes for a better experience and a healthier coastal ecosystem.
Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/05/23/annual-dr-beach-list-names-oahus-kailua-best-america/1203714001/
[ad_2]
Source link