Sunseekers don't let Bowditch Beach bacteria bother them

Story was written on deadline for the next day's Monday paper. It ran on the front of the B section.

A swimming advisory from the Florida Department of Health didn't stop spring breakers and locals from swimming in the waters off Bowditch Point on Sunday.

Signs warn swimmers that the Gulf waters of Fort Myers Beach contain high levels of fecal bacteria. The advisory comes during one of the island's most crowded months.

The Lee County Health Department was prompted Thursday to warn swimmers when weekly water tests found 170 colonies of Enterococcus bacteria per 100 milliliters of water. A level above 104 is considered a potential health risk to swimmers.

"We are getting lots of inquiries about what the signs are but people are in the water having fun anyway," said Rich Petrow, a professional dolphin-tour guide for Holiday Water Sports. The company rents water crafts, sail boats and beach chairs to visitors.

"The advisory hasn't been detrimental to us."

And, that seems to be the case for local businesses that saw a decrease in visitors only Thursday afternoon when the big yellow warning signs were posted along the beach.

"The parking is still at a premium and most of the people that come here sit on the beach anyhow," said Brian Wetzel, the owner of Flip Flops Cafe at Bowditch Point Regional Park. "The parking lot has been full and business hasn't been affected."

Health Department officials are re-testing the Bowditch waters today and results of the test are expected Tuesday afternoon.

"It's routine testing that we do every Monday to all Lee County beaches," said Dr. Judith Hartner, the director of the county Health Department. "In Lee County in particular, when we see issues with beaches ... it's frequently after a heavy rainstorm."

Rainstorms are troublesome for beaches, Hartner said, because rain storms flush animal waste into the waters from bayous, back waterways and parking lots.

"There is no obvious source for an increased bacteria count in that area," said Hartner about the island that has no water treatment plant and is connected to a sewer system. "After a rain storm two weeks ago, it's not surprising to have increased bacteria levels."

But bacteria won't be enough to deter the estimated 12,000 spring breakers flocking to the beaches this month, according to the Greater Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce.

The sunny days, beautiful water and hot climate are just too enticing.

"They come from Michigan and Wisconsin where there is a foot of snow and they don't want to be told they can't swim," Petrow said noting that he saw plenty of swimmers in the water Sunday. "They spend a lot of good money to come down here and have a good time."

Donna Trueubig and her daughter Stephanie were walking along Bowditch Beach on Sunday and said the advisory didn't affect their day one bit.

"We just (went) further down and got in the water there. We were prepared for it because we heard about it on the news," said Donna Trueubig, of Ohio, who is visiting her father in Cape Coral. "It was no big deal. ... Besides, we just stood in the water because it's pretty cold anyway."