Still a Destin-ation

A total of 335 physicians and other attendees were in Destin, Florida for the annual summer symposium of the Alabama Dermatology Society–-more than ever before, said program director Dr. Eric Baum. 

They seem focused on dermatology, despite the ongoing environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, just a few hundred feet from the meeting hotel.

Damian McNamara/Skin & Allergy News Digital Network

Clean-up workers must have no trouble spotting the dark tar balls on the white sand beaches–-this is the whitest sand I’ve ever seen. 

This is my first time in Destin (click here for a map), and it’s easy to recognize this is truly a beautiful United States. I passed many roped off areas of beach, but it turns out these are protected nesting areas for shoreline birds. 

After the meeting ended on Saturday, I walked down to the Gulf to take these photos. 

Here’s to hoping it stays this way (Daily updates can be found at https://www.visitflorida.com/florida_travel_advisory/)

–Damian McNamara, @MedReporter on Twitter