From the depths

Destin beachgoers were greeted with a rather unusual surprise today: a beached sperm whale. Wildlife officials are doing what they can to save it. See photos and read more here.

Walton County's beach flag system

With the height of hurricane and tropical storm season upon us, even distant storms sometimes make for waves and currents that are a bit stronger than what you'll find in our usually calm waters. Rip currents are a particular hazard, and you can't always spot them from the beach. To help ensure your safety, Walton County uses a flag system to indicate beach conditions.

Your safety is important to us. Please familiarize yourself with the meanings of the colored flags you'll see along our beaches. And if you see red, please stay out of the water. On those rare days, why not explore some of the many other recreational opportunities along the Emerald Coast?

Visit our beach safety page for more info -- and have a wonderfully safe trip to the beach!

The coast really is clear

It's been beautiful along the beaches of South Walton all week. We're happy to report that we continue to be free of oil and tarballs. With the recent capping of the Deepwater Horizon oil well and the effects of heat and weathering, the crisis response folks tell us that, even out in the Gulf, surface oil is disappearing.

Unfortunately, this doesn't change things much for our neighbors far to the west in the bayous of Louisiana, but for us here on the Emerald Coast, it means hope for reviving our tourism and fishing trades.

If you're thinking of coming down but are hesitant about the possibility of oil on the beach or in the water, please come on down -- you won't see any oil on your flip flops here. And the many businesses that depend on vacationers like you could really use your patronage these days.

Breaking news: BP says no oil is leaking into the Gulf

For the first time in five months, no oil from BP's ill-fated oil rig is leaking into the Gulf. That's the word from the oil giant, which is testing a new cap, monitoring pressures regularly to make sure the temporary solution doesn't exceed safe parameters. BP cautions that the cap is still in a testing phase, but if all goes well, this will prove to be the first success in the BP's long string of attempts to stop the flow. A more permanent solution -- the drilling of two relief wells -- is still a few weeks off.

And of course, for our neighbors to the west, it's a bittersweet victory: The cleanup and the fallout from the disaster have only just begun. We here in South Walton County can only hope that the news will bring business back to our area, which has been only slightly touched by the oil itself but hurt by media coverage and misperceptions.

Read the full story here.

Today's beach conditions

Wendi snapped these photos on the way to work this morning. As you can see, our beaches remain free and clear of oil, with the primary oil spill impact staying to our west.

Of course, we have the usual smattering of junegrass, but that's typical for this time of year. Water temps are in the upper 80s, with no tropical disturbances in sight.

Our hopes rest on BP's latest efforts to stop the oil leak. Critical tests are underway, and if all goes well, we could see a halt to the gushing very soon.

Florida Panhandle Beach Cams & Conditions

All's well along the beaches of South Walton. The beaches are open, clean and just as beautiful as ever. Want to see for yourself? Visit these web cams, listed courtesy of SoWal.com:

Watercolor

Dune Allen Beach
Grayton Beach
Miramar Beach
Rosemary Beach
Sandestin
Seagrove SkyCam
Seagrove Beach
Seaside
Watercolor

Our no-risk cancellation policy

Many vacationers (and those just thinking about staying with us this summer) have asked what our policies are in regards to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and their stays. We understand your concern and have adjusted our cancellation policies as follows:

• You can cancel anytime prior to your arrival with just a $25 administration fee per unit rented.
• Once you arrive, payment is due in full.
• If, during your stay here, our beaches are closed due to the presence of oil and you decide to leave, we will refund the remaining portion of your stay within two weeks of your departure.

So come on down! Right now, the beaches are open and as beautiful as ever. If you'd like to doublecheck beach conditions, feel free to drop us an email. We'll give you an honest update on what we're seeing firsthand.