Hmmm, I don't think its so much that the Pacific is dirty, its very seaweedy and the water stays very cold, too cold for me! When I was living at the Jersey shore it was during the time when we would have hospital waste wash up on the shore, syringes, amputated body parts, you name it, talk about dirty, it was gross!!!
I have swam in the Gulf of Mexico off of Florida before, it was nice, but, I don't know if I'd enjoy that warm water as much now as I did as a girl.
I'm pretty enamoured of Florida myself, certain areas of it are just beautiful, like the Keys.
