GULFPORT, MS -
High winds and tropical storm conditions are keeping visitors from exploring our barrier islands. Debby forced the National Park Service to temporarily close the islands, even though the storm is hundreds of miles away.
Those who make their living taking people eleven miles out hate to turn visitors and their spending money away.
"We came all the way from Europe, from Germany to take a trip to Ship Island and now we are quite disappointed," Thomas Munz said.
"I'm sad," Katja Munz added. "I'm a little bit sad, but I can do nothing."
Newlyweds Thomas and Katja Munz traveled from far away for their honeymoon, to see blue water and sugar white sand. They started their trip in Florida, only to find they were in the cross hairs of Debby. So they came to Gulfport hoping to find paradise.
"All we saw was black sky, no blue water," said Thomas Munz.
Ship Island Excursions' Captain Louis Skrmetta said the National Park Service was forced to close the barrier islands for safety reasons.
"We are still experiencing the winds right now, so 20, 30 knot winds off shore on site conditions, extremely high tides couple of factors involved with it," Capt. Skrmetta said.
"It's dangerous out there right now," one Ship Island Excursion employee said.
A danger and inconvenience for our out of town guests.
"Of course, the visitors don't understand. They come down and see this beautiful sunshine, and this calm water in the harbor. They don't quite understand we are going eleven miles off shore and the sea conditions are a little different out there," said Skrmetta. "This is peak season for us and you can imagine we are losing quit a bit of money right now."
The National Parks service hopes to re-open Ship Island within days. Meanwhile, these love birds are hoping Mother Nature will cooperate and give them the honeymoon they hope for.
"Maybe we can try another one on Wednesday," said Thomas Munz.
Skrmetta is hopeful the ferry boats will begin running this week, allowing business to get back to normal.
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Ship Island Excursions' Captain Louis Skrmetta said the National Park Service was forced to close the barrier islands for safety reasons.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
