Hurricanes

The months of June through November are known to many occupants of coastal locations to be hurricane seasons. The Pinellas Gulf Beaches have not experienced a hurricane with wind forces greater than Category 2 (110 mph) since 1921. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commented this might soon change, as the upcoming season is predicted to be extremely active.

Due to Starlight Tower's close proximity to the coast, storms consistently bring the water over the sea wall and occasionally even surpass the building. As a result, the water can flow out into the street. The residents of Starlight Tower have refurbished the first floor to make it easier to repair after hurricanes and storms by implementing new features such as tile flooring and brick walling. The unnamed storm of 1993 was particularly devastating and led to a re-evaluation of Starlight Tower’s hurricane preparation plans.

Hurricane preparation is a large ordeal for Hubbard's Marina. Since the company predominantly deals with the boating and fishing industry, precautions have to be taken to make sure that hurricanes do not damage the boats. First mates will occupy the larger boats and ships during the storm and take them out into the waters of the Gulf to make sure no structural damage occurs to the boats and to the docks of St. Pete Beach.

Local Businesses and The Environment

The idea of tourism is nothing new to Florida, and even the Gulf Beaches, as individuals have been flocking to the area for the warm weather and natural beauty since the 1800's. Over the past year Florida has seen over 112.4 million out-of-state and international visitors which allowed for $108.8 billion to be put into the state economy.

The economic stability of the Gulf Beaches area largely depends on the environment since the landscape dictates much of the tourism-operated companies. Local businesses are aware that the environment provides growth for them. As a result, they respect their surroundings and acknowledge that environmental abuse will cause harm to the overall well-being of St. Pete Beach and its businesses.

Hubbard's Marina, a local fishery, established in 1954, exemplifies the firm respect for the waters of the Gulf by conveying this not only by internally abiding to state and federal fishing regulations, but also externally through all of their customer interactions by emphasizing education about the local ecosystem in all of their tourist centered endeavours. This ensures not just the continuation of their business, but most importantly the thriving of the natural ecosystem.

Closing Thoughts

The overall impressions of the interviews and conducted research suggested that while the residents of St. Pete appreciate the environment, they also want to interact with and benefit from it in the modern age in a way where the environment can be preserved for the future generations.