HAWAII – As the sun rises over the Pacific Ocean, Waimanalo Bay’s powdery white coral sand glows in the morning light. A few people lounge in the sand as a fisherman casts his line into the turquoise water.
Waimanalo Bay Beach Park was named the top beach on an annual top 10 list of US beaches compiled by a coastal science professor known as Dr. Beach on Friday.
Professor Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University compiles the popular list of best public beaches in the United States using 50 criteria, including best sand and water quality, environmental management and amenities.
Waimanalo Bay Beach Park beat out Barefoot Beach in Florida as the top pick for 2015, according to Dr. Beach. In recent years Leatherman has given extra points to beaches that have good safety records and no-smoking rules.
Leatherman, who visits all the beaches on his lists, said Waimanalo Bay Beach Park is one of the longest in Hawaii and is the longest on the island of Oahu.
Clean water and sand were important factors for Leatherman in deciding this year’s best beaches. Safety and environmental management were also key components. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park has lifeguards on duty and the water is not very deep or treacherous, Leatherman says.
Hamoa Beach on Maui also made this year’s list, joining beaches in Florida, Massachusetts, the Carolinas and California to round out the top 10.
Hawaiian beaches have won the top beach designation 14 of the 25 years Leatherman has published the list.
Up until now, any beach that won the top spot on Dr. Beach’s list was retired and became ineligible for inclusion in subsequent years.
However, Dr. Beach says after 25 years of publication, next year he will clear the slate and allow any beach in the nation to once again be eligible for the contest and for the top pick.
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