Hatteras at OBX made the list!! Duke Kahanamoku Beach on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was named best U.S. beach for 2014. A Honolulu beach named for Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the Olympic gold medal swimmer known as the “father of modern surfing,” has claimed the top spot in the list of annual “Top 10 Beaches 2014” released today by Stephen Leatherman, a.k.a. “Dr. Beach.” Hawaii and Florida beaches dominated the top 10. Surprisingly, no California beaches made the list. Leatherman has been making his annual Top 10 Beaches list since 1991 and uses 50 criteria, with rankings from 1 to 5, in his evaluation process of swimable beaches. Factors he takes into consideration include beach width at low tide, sand softness and color, wildlife, pests (such as ticks and mosquitos), available amenities and public safety. Once a beach reaches the top of the list, it is retired to make room for others. “It’s not all just beauty,” said Leatherman. “People want clean water and clean sand. But they also want safety, parking and nearby amenities.” Located in a 342-acre county park, the beach is 8,200-feet-long and has small waves, shallow water “and if you like seashells, there are millions of them,” said Leatherman. Rounding out the top five are St. George Island State Park in Florida, Waimanalo Bay Beach Park in Oahu, and Hamoa Beach in Maui. Dr. Beachs Top 10 Beaches 2014 1. Duke Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii 2. Barefoot Beach Bonita Springs, Florida 3. St. George Island State Park Florida panhandle 4. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park Oahu, Hawaii 5. Hamoa Beach Maui, Hawaii 6. Cape Hatteras Outer Banks of North Carolina 7. Cape Florida State Park Key Biscayne, Florida 8. Coast Guard Beach Cape Cod, Massachusetts 9. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina 10. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Naples, Florida
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 14:06:12 +0000