CLEARWATER - Dr. Beach visits more than 100 beaches every year, inspecting and critiquing their facilities as only a renowned beach expert would. Stephen Leatherman, a Florida International University professor of coastal research known as Dr. Beach, has issued his annual list of the nation's top 10 beaches, which he has done since 1991.

His 2005 ``America's Best Beach'' designation, which he formally will announce this morning on NBC's ``Today'' show, is a windfall for local tourism officials, who are elated by the possibilities of marketing their No. 1 beach in the country.

The north beach area at Fort DeSoto Park, south of Tierra Verde, is this year's winner, up from No. 2 on the list in 2004.

``Fort DeSoto puts the whole package together: clean water, clean sand, a lot of good parking, huge areas, great for families, modern facilities,'' Leatherman said Tuesday of the Pinellas park at the south end of the county.

``It's not a stunning beach like last year's winner, Hanauma Bay [in Oahu, Hawaii]. That beach is a little white coral sand beach inside a [volcanic] crater. [Fort DeSoto] got the top ranking for its overall greatness.

``I was there twice in the past year. The last time incognito with my family.''

Leatherman grades beaches on 50 criteria, including scientific and ecological factors and facilities and management.

He said he will detail his 2005 selections at a news conference this morning with state and local tourism officials at Fort DeSoto Park.

Matt Mitchell, a spokesman for the state parks department, said Fort DeSoto should expect an increase in attendance because of the No. 1 rating.

Mitchell said St. Joseph's Peninsula State Park, named by Leatherman as the No. 1 beach in 2002, had its attendance increase about 15 percent after earning the distinction.

Past winners are excluded from the current survey.

Visit Florida, the state's tourist promotion agency, will feature Fort DeSoto Park's designation as part of a video satellite conference Thursday to television stations worldwide, said Vanessa Welter, spokeswoman for Visit Florida.

Local tourism officials plan to market the No. 1 designation immediately as well.

``It will go in everything that we do,'' said Missy Pike, president of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, a south Pinellas agency representing more than 500 hotel properties in 12 Pinellas cities.

``We absolutely are thrilled,'' Pike said. ``No. 1 is better than No. 2. It adds to what we've always known, that this is the nicest stretch of beach around.''

The complete top 10 list will be released today.

Reporter Steven Isbitts can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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