Grayton Beach, Barley Barber Swamp and the Caribbean

To all those who joined us for the show, thanks for tuning in. It was a super show with a Talkin’ Tourism first—reviewing a book. At the request of the publisher, Radio Man reviewed a new book in the "Gulf Coast Lit” genre entitled Grayton Beach Affair by author James Harvey. If you like action, romance and intrigue set in a 1940’s era gulf coast seaside town, Grayton Beach Affair should be on your summer reading list.

From there it was a lively and informative conversation with Treasure Coast Lands Foundation executive director Charles Barrowclough focusing on the unique beauty of Barley Barber Swamp. History Lady focused on the historical aspects of this environmental gem and Radio Man was very intrigued by the fact that the Barley Barber Swamp is now conducting guided tours. This is great for the promotion of tourism in western Martin County.

From swamp the show switched course and headed to the best beaches in the Caribbean. In case you saw the pre-show and  wondered which beaches in the Caribbean were rated as the best by Frommer’s…here is the list:

(10) Luquillo Beach—Puerto Rico
(9) Diamond Beach—Martinique
(8) Seven Mile Beach  —Negril, Jamaica
(7) Grand Anse Beach—Grenada
(6) Seven Mile Beach—Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
(5) Cane Garden Bay—Tortola, British Virgin Islands
(4) The Gold Coast—Barbados
(3) Palm Beach—Aruba
(2) Dickenson Bay—Antigua
and coming in at No.1, drum roll please, Shoal Bay—Anguilla.

Now, get out your maps of the Caribbean and begin plotting your course for good times!

Technology is grand; though sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not. Those of you who were planning to catch the show after-the-fact are in for a disappointment. Unfortunately, WPSL had a technical challenge on Friday, and only the first 20-minutes of the show were recorded. Please accept our apologies. Radio Man is now threatening to bring in his microcassette recorder. Talk about technical difficulties. If he could only figure out how to turn it on. Here's the link to the portion of audio that made the cut.

See you on Friday!

Florida Swamps and the Top 10 Beaches of the Caribbean

There has been great excitement over the reopening of the Barley Barber Swamp, located in western Martin County, Florida. This pristine watershed, once a part of the vast Bald Cypress Forest, is a 450 acre parcel of land surrounded by Florida Power & Light’s Martin County power plant. Acquired in 1972 to build the power plant, the area was dedicated to be preserved and enhanced and served as a major eco-tourism attraction for many businesses located in Indiantown. After 9/11, the area was closed for security reasons. Florida Power & Light, and the Treasure Lands Foundation worked together to restore and now maintain the land for public enjoyment. Treasured Lands Foundation executive director Charles Barrowclough will join us this week to share with our listeners what impact this reopening has had on western Martin County and how it enhances the Treasure Coast as a tourism destination. It's hard for some of us to believe, but the park has 1,000-year-old trees and a whole lot more. Put on your back pack and lace up your hiking shoes for a great adventure in the Barley Barber Swamp!

After the swamp, we'll fly on over to the Caribbean. Radio Man and History Lady have packed their flip flops, beach towels, sun glasses and sunscreen to better judge the top Caribbean beaches of 2011. So, according to Frommer’s, which beach is number one:  Cane Garden Bay in the British Virgin Islands, Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman or Diamond Beach in Martinique?

All this and more on this week’s edition of Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast (and Beyond!). And, who knows, time permitting, we may even talk about the proposed idea of constructing golf courses in Florida state parks.

Tune your radio dial to WPSL 1590 AM or your Internet browser to www.wpsltv.com on Friday at 10:05 a.m. for the fun, maybe a little controversy, and lots of real infotainment!