Ghost Town

Our condo complex is silent most days and nights. Minus the shark hunter and his girlfriend, we've only seen about 10 other people total the entire trip roaming the halls and in the pool.

When we first checked into the condo, a lady said hundreds of people have cancelled reservations because they fear the oil spill. In fact, a lot of the conversations down here start and end with the oil spill. It's actually a sad reminder of the reality that this spill is causing on the lives of people who depend on the ocean.

Think about it. Fishermen are impacted the most. But that trains down to restaurants, both near and far. Even our very own Red Lobster at home in Indiana will have problems getting and affording fresh fish.

But then the tiny pieces come into play. Diving companies - you can't scuba dive in oil. Boat and dolphin tours can't be done in oil either.

And if tourists stop coming, who will come to the tourist shops and purchase items that have Panama City on every item in the store for under $9.99?

The people who rent beach chairs on the beach will lose money with less seats to fill.

Parasailing is out of the question too.

And the town is a ghost town now with just a FEAR of the oil crashing upon shore. I can't imagine what will happen if the oil really does land on the shoreline, either here or the Keys or Louisiana.

But, one little old lady did have some reassuring words as we walked away to our condo for the first time.

"A lot of people think the dark water out there is the oil spill. But it's not. That's just the deep water out there. So don't worry."

Much love,
Ashley