Fishing fleets are grounded and beaches are deserted as the Gulf Coast prepares itself for what might be an economical disaster far worse than any hurricane or tropical storm. We talked with wedding photographer Ed Morgan about the potential long term effects of oil on his business…
If the oil hits the beach as it is expected to with in days we are told the clean up can take up to 5 years. Once the oil hits the beach you can no linger go in the water and that is the reason people want to come here for our beautiful beaches.
Once you can not go in the water no one will want to come here. Visitors stay at beach rental homes, condos and hotels all overlooking the beach. All our customer base stays at the beach and we shoot wedding at the beach homes and condos and other beach locations. As for how long this will impact us we have no way of knowing just yet but it could push many of us out of business on the coast in a very short time.
Most beach businesses make 80% or more of all the money they make in the summer months so if things go down hill like their are going everyday we will not make our 80% and no longer be making a living.
So far we are starting to have brides call and want to cancle the wedding on the beach and wanting refunds back for retaines fess paid. Also we now have has some of our summer family portraits cancled. The phone is not ringing much now things are not looking good.
(My) Backup plan not a real one only a “O my god” what can we do plan that involves renting a apartment on the other coast, re-working websites, printing flyers to start passing out for family beach portraits. As for weddings I think we will be dead as people book so far in advance and we will be to late for another area. But the problem with this plan is it will cost a lot to do and we may not do very well and could end up spending more then we make.
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