Sarasota, Americas Best Beach, Not!

It seems like everywhere we go we see a sign proclaiming a spot as Americas best parks, best scenic highway, best food, or Americas best beach. While Sarasota has a beautiful beach it certainly isn't the best beach, In fact I would have to rate it unacceptable.
See it has all the perquisites for a beautiful beach, white sand, blue water, shells for the beach combers, but it also has limited parking and beach access areas with no restrooms or change areas. Yup you heard me right, no restrooms!

It took us about an hour to drive from Treasure Island to Sarasota. We arrived on one of the busiest days, New Years Eve. and there was absolutely no parking to be had. The one major parking area was smaller then the ones at Fort Desota and so we ended up paying fifteen dollars for a spot near one of the beach access areas.
Walking through the crammed and small beach access parking lot we were greeted by the site of a beautiful white beach with squeaky sand. See squeaky sand is the result of a beach composed of pure quartz sand and it literally squeaks when you walk on it.

Surprisingly we found an area to set up our lounge chairs and it didn't take long before we were off and wading in the surf. I passed two teenagers who had their hands full of large sand dollars and so of course  I started to look myself. It really didn't take very long before I found a really nice complete sand dollar and one that was huge and still alive. A little further I even found a beautiful mollusk, which still contained its inhabitant.

So showing Renita and Jenny my finds, Renita took some images and then I released the creatures back into the water. I gently tossed them past the point that a wader such as myself would be able to see them and collect them.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in growing agony as my bladder filled and yet we waited and waited, hopping to see a green flash. Lots of people left, but at sundown there was a rush to the beach by fellow sun worshippers. I heard the group next to us talk about the green flash but as the sun set we didn't see one.
As soon as the sun set we headed for the parking lot and a business with a public restroom. Most places had signs that said, paying customers only and so we ended up buying some candy bars. We had to wear out wet clothing back to Jenny's place and so it was a wet and uncomfortable drive home.
So all in all we had a fun day but I would have to rate Sarasotas beach as one of Americas worst. Anyplace that caters to tourists and their hard earned dollars needs to provide restrooms or at least ports potties. Its a health issue after all! Clear skies.


ps before I get junped by Sarasotas Chamber of Commerce, I would like to add that I walked a considerable distance in seach of public facilites, all to no avail or should I say no relief!