Just returned from a long weekend at Orange Beach. Weather beautiful, fishing was outstanding though it's all currently catch and release until further notice, and there were low, LOW crowds. In fact NO crowds at all. And no oil coming in during the time I was there, and they claim they're laying off cleanu up workers in the area due to no work. Gotta say though, the place looks like they're ready for a major disaster. Coast Guard folks everywhere, and others clearly involved in some aspect of the clean up or whatever, and most doing very little in that area. In fact, the locals are hurting bad. They understand the potential long term effects of the oil, and moreover the chemical dispersant, but largely blame the media for the over the top doom and gloom reporting that seems to have scared everybody off, and has, by the reports I got, business off anywhere from 50% to 75%.
Y'all, if you normally go to the gulf coast this time of year, and have not because of the oil thing, go. If nothing else, you're missing a prime opportunity to go in season when there are no crowds. I didn't wait to eat one time in 4 days/3 nights.