PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Restaurants on Clearwater Beach say despite red tide concerns and cooler weather, they’ve been busy this spring break.
Red ride levels were a big concern leading into spring break, but the latest report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows lower concentrations in the Tampa Bay area.
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“I think it's still consistently busy. I mean, its Clearwater Beach, so they are never that slow for spring break, no matter what's happening," Ashleigh Lovett from The Salty Crab said.
While many restaurants did not know what to expect with the red tide and windy weather, people still needed a place to eat. Lovett said The Salty Crab is actually busier on colder days.
“For the restaurant, it just makes it busier because people are already here, so they have to go somewhere. So usually just makes us busier when the weather is not nice,” Lovett said.
She said they're just as busy as in years past. As for red tide, FWC said things are improving on the Pinellas coast, but we're not out of the woods just yet.
“This bloom has been really dynamic, so we’ve seen even in Clearwater, we’ve seen conditions worsen and improve. It's really hard to know what’s going to happen next," Kate Hubbard with FWC said.
The winds play a role in how much you notice the red tide when you are at the beach. That is why it is important to check in with the ABC Action News weather team before you head out to the beach.
