Happy Holidays and well wishes to all my past and current guest for a great 2023.
I must admit that 2022 was my most challenging year running Sandy Beach Vacay. I started the year shutting down my Anna Maria Island unit the Sandy Turtle to embark on a total gut and renovation. We encountered many, many starts and stops thank-you pandemic supply chain delays, unexpected remediation expenses, and a redesign of the kitchen after an architectural hiccup. It ran three months over schedule, and we screeched out of the parking lot fluffing the last new pillow as the first guest checked in! It turned out beautiful after all the blood, sweat and a LOT of tears.
After a quiet summer recovering from this massive renovation the fall brought two back-to-back hurricanes (Ian and Nicole) that wreaked havoc on the Atlantic coast. Thankfully all the East wind units fared well with minimal damage and the complex is fully functioning, heated pool and all. I want to thank all the many guests who reached out via phone, text and email with well wishes and prayers.
Unfortunately, the shoreline sustained a lot of beach erosion. Some preliminary sand was brought in to help build up the shoreline. Federal, state and local government offices continue to work on long term plans to rebuild and prevent this type of damage from happening again. But that will take many, many months to implement.
I invested in several upgrades of guest bedroom furniture, mattresses and new water heaters in Sandy Sunrise, Pat’s Paradise and Bob’s Beachin Dreams. Sandy Sunrise also got a new A/C unit after Hurricane Nicole. As a follow-on project for the Sandy Turtle I have new sliders and windows on order and will be installed in the spring of 2023.
So, I look forward to closing the chapter on 2022 and embracing 2023 with a fresh outlook. I am grateful for all of you who continue to support Sandy Beach Vacay. I listen to all your feedback and implement changes to better serve our guests. My greatest joy is giving each of you a premier and memorable vacation for years to come. Happy Holidays and I hope you will visit Ponce Inlet or Anna Maria Island soon!