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Hawaii's
Kaanapali
Beach
Tops 'Best in U.S.'
List |
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| MIAMI
(Reuters) - Hawaii's
Kaanapali
Beach
topped this year's list of "America's
Best Beaches," released on Friday by a coastal scientist who lauded
its white coral sand and clear emerald-green waters. |
| .. |
| The
3-mile beach on the dry and sunny side of Maui
earned the No. 1 spot on the annual list compiled by Dr. Stephen Leatherman,
director of Florida
International
University's
Laboratory for Coastal Research. |
| .. |
| Leatherman,
nicknamed "Dr. Beach," has taken on the enviable task of visiting beaches
nationwide and ranking them on 50 criteria that include sand and water
quality, water temperature, absence of litter and balance between nature
and man-made amenities. |
| .. |
| Kaanapali
is one of four Hawaiian beaches to make the top 10, and the seventh Hawaiian
beach to win top honors in the past eight years. |
| .. |
| Rounding
out this year's list are No 2. Florida's
Fort
DeSoto
Park;
3. North
Carolina's
Ocracoke
Island;
4. Hawaii's
Hanalei
Bay;
5. Florida's
Caladesi
Island
State
Park;
6. New
York's
Main
Beach
in East
Hampton;
7. Hawaii's
Makalawena
Beach;
8. Hawaii's
Hanauma
Bay;
9. Florida's
Cape
Florida
State
Park
and 10.
Cape
Hatteras
in North
Carolina.
|
| .. |
| Leatherman,
who holds a doctorate in environmental sciences, released the rankings
for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally kicks off the
U.S.
summer beach season. |
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