Florida Beaches and Deepwater Oil Spill

Tragically, BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to spew thousands of barrels of oil daily in the Gulf of Mexico. (To get an idea of the magnitude: If It Was My Home maps the size of the spill onto your own location.)

Florida is one of the affected Gulf Coast states, and its beautiful beaches are a defining feature of the state and a major draw for visitors. Which Florida beaches have been most affected?

Deepwater Oil Spill -- Florida Beaches

• How is the Gulf Oil Spill Affecting Florida's Beaches?
  
  To date, the most affected beaches are in Northwest Florida aka as the Florida Panhandle: the "Emerald Coast" here is known for brilliant white crystal quartz sand and emerald waters. Beaches include Panama City Beach, Destin/ Fort Walton beaches, and Pensacola.
  
  Tar balls, oil sheen and "oil mousse" have washed up on some of the white sand beaches of the Florida Panhandle, such as Pensacola Beach: About.com's Guide for Florida Travel keeps track of affected areas. At time of writing: "beaches in the eastern Gulf of Mexico along Florida's West Coast have not been affected by the oil, nor have any Florida East Coast beaches." (Check the link for updates!)
  
  She goes on to note: "There are many hotels with no-oil guarantees in place from Clearwater Beach to Key West. The no-oil guarantees vary from a full refund if oil washes onto the beach during your stay, to a refund of remaining vacation days if the beach is closed due to oil during your stay. Be sure to check with your hotel's no-oil policy at the time of booking." She also urges people to volunteer.

Other Sites to Check for Updates about Florida Beaches:

• Florida Live at VISIT FLORIDA: blogs, videos, photos, tweets, and other updates from Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, St. Petersburg Beach, and many other spots in Florida.

• South Walton Update : daily updates about the beaches of South Walton in northwest Florida.

• Destin Oil Spill Updates: an informal site where people post day-to-day about conditions at Destin and Fort Walton beaches in the Florida Panhandle.

• St. Pete/Clearwater: this area has 35 miles of beaches (including several top picks for America's Best Beaches, by Dr. Beach). The St. Pete/ Clearwater official visitor site has a BP Oil Spill Update and live webcams. As of July 1: "to date there is no threat that would impact our area beaches in any way".

• Track the Oil Spill Effects: NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) reports on trajectories, closures, effects on sea turtles and marine mammals, and more.