Gulf Coast getting back to normal

After almost a year of oil spill activities, Louisiana is getting down to normalcy. Last year, few people were rigging out their boats and looking to the day when they could head into the Gulf or steer along the coast with rod and reel and bait in hand. They figured it was a lost cause then with oil being the spoiler.

But the Louisiana Sportsmen’s Show in Gonzales this past weekend was filled with people from southeast Louisiana, getting ready to take advantage of  what is still the most productive coast in the nation. They were preparing to fish and hunt the waters that have produced so much to them in the past.

Sporting goods stores and boat dealers are seeing an increase in activity with a lot of optimism coming from their customers. One can sense it in the air - - the good feeling one gets when he is about to pursue his favorite sport.

A visit to Grand Isle will underscore that things are back to normal. The beach is big and beautiful and available to surf fishermen and beachcombers. And oil spill workers who filled the beaches last year are hard to find.

Reports from Mississippi, Alabama and Florida also indicate that vacationers are booking up their beachfront hotels which were almost empty last year at a rapid rate. They expect a big season ahead.

Having just about missed a year of beach and boat life should make this year an especially active one along our coastal playgrounds for those who love the water.

Vacationers will probably head south to the Gulf of Mexico in far greater numbers. They have had a year to find out what they have missed.