People Are Speaking: Yorktown Beach Needs Jellyfish Netting!

Okay, the York County man who jumped off the Coleman Bridge on a drunken dare may have been funny, but the jellyfish stings he suffered while clinging to a buoy are not. This is proof the York River is becoming more infested with these creatures. York County, I am urging you to think of investing money on jellyfish netting at Yorktown Riverwalk.

I have spoken to many people about this problem. A friend of mine from Richmond would bring her children down and stay in the hotel across the street from the beach but when her last visit almost warranted a trip to the emergency room because of the stings on her daughter's legs, she will no longer return. She also informed me that a hotel worker told her, she wouldn't swim in that water for anything (because of the jellyfish).

I have spoken with a prominent member of the Williamsburg community and he told me about a friend of his who houses his boat on the York River. He is thinking of relocating his boat to the James River because of the jellyfish. The last time he took his sailboat out, he anchored the ship and dove into the what he thought would be a refreshing dip, only to met with stings on his body.

Be a Good Neighbor and Get the Good Neighbor Pass at Colonial Williamsburg!

If you are a resident of Williamsburg, James City County or the Bruton Distric of York County and do not have a Good Neighbor pass to Colonial Williamsburg, you need to ask yourself why not? For $10 adult pricing and free for children up to 18 years old, it's the most economical way to enjoy this beautiful city. Others travel here from other regions of the country to explore our backyard and have to pay upwards of $50 to enjoy the sights. For $10 a year you could enjoy and share in the history of what makes this city so unique. You should be ashamed of yourself by not supporting the reason this area has thrived for so long.

Yesterday, I took my girls to explore this area. I am ashamed to say that this was my first trip to my "backyard." After purchasing my Good Neighbor pass and posing for my identification card that will allow me to enter any of the historic areas and museums of Colonial Williamsburg, we headed over to the Governor's Palace. We toured the inside of this palace and tried to imagine living at the time before The Revolutionary War. How many swords can one home have? See for yourself. After finishing up the tour inside the home, we traveled the gardens and got lost in the Maze at the Governor’s Palace, saw how they kept ice before freezers were invented and ran up and down the steps alongside the canal bank. I want to bring a picnic lunch and eat here.

For more information follow this link. I see opinions in the local paper all the time about supporting tourism and this is your first step as a resident of this area! Want to see all of you out there. I'm the blonde in large sunglasses!

What's your take on The Big Bad Wolf being torn down?

We are so saddened to see The Big Bad Wolf being shut down at Busch Gardens! With it being the only roller coaster that a child 42" can ride, what will my youngest daughter ride next year? Though it was the first coaster ride she rode and she was quite shocked after the fact, she's loves it now. With season ticket's to the theme park, it is a destination we frequent and The Big Bad Wolf is always on the tour.

Let's hear from some of your experiences at Busch Gardens and how you feel about the retirement of this historic coaster.

Yorktown Beach: Jellyfish Nets Needed!

Since moving to Williamsburg last August, Yorktown Beach has been a favorite family destination. We have exposed family and friends to the shops, dining experiences and beaches available only twenty minutes from my front door. With inlets roped off for children to swim and wade around in, it's the perfect family spot on a hot day.

Last week as the kids moped around the house exclaiming how bored they were, my ears had finally had enough. We packed our bags, grabbed the beach chairs and the sand buckets for an afternoon of fun only to be met with a beach infested by jellyfish. The children braved the waters only to be met by stinging tentacles and cries of pain. Within a matter of moments, our fun day trip was met with pain and a pleading to go home.

It's time Yorktown invests money on purchasing nets designed to keep jellyfish out of the swimming areas. If people and families come to the beach for a day of fun but wind up in the emergency room from jellyfish stings, this beach will no longer be thought of as a destination spot to cool off on hot days. The businesses that have invested money at the Yorktown Riverwalk Landing will see a decrease in traffic if these nets are not purchased for the safety of the tourists and locals alike. Instead of coming for the day to participate in Yorktown's rich history and beauty, residents and tourists may begin to see Jamestown Beach as a less painful option.

Jellyfish invasions are not on the the decrease but on the increase and it's time to make bold actions now, not later.