Buyer Beware

Tuesday December 10, 2013
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Vero Beach, Florida

 

 

 

As in most stories, there is another side to this one.

 

 

When something looks too good to be true, it often is.  I’ve gotten numerous comments saying what a perfect place I’ve found here and Joey wants to know if a 36’ 5th wheel can fit.  The answer for Joey is that I’m sure a 40’ could fit here although I’d check with Reserve America to make sure.  But before making a reservation there are a few things you should also consider.  This lovely place has a down side.  Here  are the problems for your consideration before you get too excited or think I’ve found heaven.

 

 

 

 

Noseeums

 

 

These guys are everywhere unless you are on the ocean front with a good breeze.  We currently look like we have the chicken pocks with red dots all over our arms and legs.   It is IMPOSSIBLE to sit outside on your patio and I don’t think there is a screen room they can’t get in to.  No sitting outside for cocktails and sunset that’s for sure.  The former isn’t a problem for me but I’d sure like to sit out for sunset.  And to be fair, in former visits I was able to sit out at least until the sun had gone down.  So perhaps early December is not the time to come.

I’m told that during the day they aren’t as bad as early morning and evening and since I’m not usually here mid day, perhaps that’s true.  I’m generally gone from about noon to 4 but before and after those times, the bugs are often biting.  It depends on the day, the humidity and the wind.  I wear long pants, long sleeve shirt and sox to go out for sunrise and sunset every day.  And I keep moving OR I get bitten.

 

 

 

 

 

I asked the ranger when is the best time of year to come to avoid the noseeums and she said there isn’t one.  You can of course wear bug spray 24/7 if you can find one that works and isn’t toxic.  I avoid them by being by the ocean as much as possible but that doesn’t work for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low Voltage

The park does not advertise that they have low voltage problems but they do.  In the past 3 years, I’ve seen nothing on their website or on Reserve America about it.  But there is a small warning sign in the office which you may or may not see and which they do not point out when you check in.  If you don’t have an EMS system then you’ll just carry on I suppose and what damage it will do to your appliances is unknown to me.  But we have found that in the main we cannot use the microwave at all and the AC infrequently.   The latter is a problem if you can’t open your windows because of the bugs.  SO we do open the windows during the day and run fans since it has been in the low 80’s everyday.  84 today and when we returned from the beach it was 90 inside the coach.

David has solved the microwave problem however by running a heavy extension cord in from the 20 amp circuit also in our power box.  So at least for us the only real power problem is the AC.  And without AC having a microwave for heating and cooking rather than the gas stove when you can’t be outside to use the grille, is a real necessity in the heat.

 

 

 

 

 

Water pressure

Consistent with the park’s laissez faire attitude about utilities is their low water pressure.  30 pounds is not a killer for us but it might be for some people and I thought you should know.

The park has washers and dryers but unfortunately only half the washers work, but all of the dryers do.  :-)

 

 

Site size

 

 

The park is quite variable in its site size.  The sites in the back row are the largest with the best separation and have nice trees and plants growing between sites for screening.   We have been in those sites in past trips and I thought the fact that they backed up on the mangroves was the reason for all the bugs that drove me crazy.  So I came back again and got this site out in the open in the middle and closer to the water but the bugs are just as bad. 

Our site is narrow and has close neighbors on both sides.  It feels like they are right on top of us.  We can hear every word they say 24/7.  But it isn’t as much of a problem as it would be if we could keep the windows open all night and enjoy the beautiful breeze and fabulous temperatures.

 

 

Of course you can’t control who your neighbors are and on one side since we arrived we have had a Bounder pulling a huge closed trailer.  Although it doesn’t look like it in this picture, in person it looks like at least half the size of his motorhome.  We’re guessing 20 or 25’ X 8’.   I guess it is the guy’s ‘man cave’.  He seems to be traveling with his mother or a woman who is twice his age who never comes out of the coach which is closed up and has covers over every window all the time.   He however spends time in his man cave with the door open and country music blasting while he does who knows what.  He’s one of the MANY MANY fishermen so perhaps he’s doing whatever fishermen do when they aren’t fishing. 

 

But the worst problem is that he sprinkled moth balls under and around his coach which puts them less than 10’ from my nose every time I go outside.  He told David it was to “keep the critters away”.  Now what critters I have no idea.  As far as I’ve seen there are birds and raccoons here.  Even if it keeps the noseeums away, the mothball smell is actually as bad as they are at least for my nose.  He wasn’t very happy when I finally said that they were really bothering me but he did pull them all back under his coach which lessened the smell some.  I don’t know how they live inside there unless neither of them can smell.  Unfortunately they came in just before we did and are staying two weeks. 

We’ll be moving to another site on the back row next week so the site will be larger and the neighbors further away.   But if possible I suggest you come and look at the park and pick a site you like rather than to do it site unseen.

 

 

 

Services

 

 

This isn’t a problem for us but I thought it should be included in the Buyer Beware list.  There are no services for at least 15 miles.  No gas, no groceries and only one or two restaurants.   There is a nice little cafe type thing about 3 miles north and a subway 7 miles north.   The town of Melbourne Beach is 16 miles north and the town of Vero Beach is 17  miles south.   Both of these have gas and groceries.

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it. 

 

 

 

I’m not sure we will return here again because of the noseeums and the power problems.  I’m tired of itching for sure.   I surely would never come here in weather any warmer than this.   I think Sebastian Inlet is possibly only for the fanatics – those who want to fish at any price or the oceanoholics like me.

 

 

 

All that said, it is a gorgeous place if you LOVE to fish or LOVE to be by the ocean.  There seem to be significantly more of the former than the latter in the campground.   There is a kayak put in at the park and a lovely  bike path all the way south along A1A for miles.  The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge runs all up and down the coast here and its “gateway”, the Barrier Island Sanctuary Education Center which is fabulous, is just up the road. 

 

 

 

Today was again a really spectacular day as you can see and we spent 5 hours at the beach.

While there we are just in heaven and think we must come back here every year.   But then we get back and find it 90 degrees inside despite open windows and fans and we aren’t so sure.  Then around dinner time the noseeums come out so there is no eating outside in the lovely 79 degree temperature and we are even less sure.

But my memory is short these days so who knows how my rose colored glasses will work when I’m preparing for another winter in Florida.   I just thought you should know ‘the rest of the story’.