“Good Morning America” weather anchor Sam Champion ate dinner at the Hogfish Bar and Grill over Memorial Day weekend. And bicycled over to the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park to catch a few rays. And, most important, did a live broadcast from Key West that helped counter persistent misperceptions that the Florida Keys had been physically impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Sam Champion, "Good Morning America's" weather anchor, lounges at the beach in Key West during his live broadcast May 31. (Photos by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau)

As he waded off the beach at Key West’s Casa Marina Resort during the live broadcast, Sam had an important message for GMA’s millions of viewers.

“These coasts are clear,” he said before stretching out in a SunKat, which looks like an oversized floating lawn chair, at the water’s edge.

Behind him, kayakers and paddle-boarders enjoyed the water while a small black-and-white dog (I am not making this up) floated by on a boogie board under his owner’s watchful eye.

For those of us who love the Keys, the GMA broadcast was a welcome chance to show that, contrary to relentless rumors, the only oil on our beaches is suntan oil.

Even so, the Keys’ tourism economy has taken a substantial hit. Owners and operators of resorts, inns, fishing charters and dive shops have answered thousands of phone calls from potential visitors nervous about conditions in the Keys, and received countless cancellations.

The super-talented Monks of Phunk provided an island-flavored musical accompaniment throughout the broadcast.

That’s why the “Good Morning America” broadcast by Sam Champion and his “champion” crew was so important.

As well as watersports, the GMA live segments featured music by the fabulous Monks of Phunk, consisting of seasoned Keys musicians Keith Ricks, Chris Case and Matt Watson.

The Casa Marina’s executive chef, Erik Malzahn, tempted Sam with a taste of Key lime pie. While many pie lovers debate the merits of whipped cream topping versus meringue, Erik sidesteps the issue by using both.

Bobby Mongelli, owner of the popular Hogfish Bar and Grill, displayed a selection of Keys-caught seafood for Sam and his audience, ranging from stone crabs and sweet pink shrimp to whole yellowtail and blackfin tuna. (Sam and the crew became Hogfish fans after spending an evening sampling the laid-back emporium’s smoked fish dip and hogfish sandwiches.)

Hogfish Bar and Grill owner Bobby Mongelli (right) shows Sam examples of fish and seafood caught in Keys waters -- the "raw" material for tasty temptations prepared by Hogfish chefs.

Also displaying bounty found in Keys waters was Sean Fisher, grandson of legendary shipwreck salvager Mel Fisher, who showcased more than $4 million worth of gold, silver, emeralds and artifacts recovered from the shipwrecked 1622 Spanish galleons Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita.

Sean even draped a gold chain from the Atocha wrecksite around Sam’s neck — a chain weighing nearly three pounds!

In addition to the live shots, GMA aired a pre-taped segment spotlighting the negative economic impacts along much of the Gulf coast from the oil spill — despite an absence of physical impacts in most locations including the Keys.

Sam Champion models a gold chain recovered by Mel Fisher and his crew from the legendary Spanish treasure galleon "Atocha."

Among those interviewed for that segment were Captain Mike Weinhofer of Compass Rose Fishing Charters, Cece Roycraft of Dive Key West, Adelheid Salas of the Southernmost Hotel Collection, Casa Marina’s Kevin Speidel and Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers, owner of Pearl’s Rainbow.

Throughout their visit, it was very clear that Sam Champion and his crew were captivated by Key West’s easygoing island vibe. In fact, the whole gang was spotted shooting a vignette while standing waist-deep in blue water off the Southernmost Hotel Collection’s Atlantic Ocean beach — fully clothed, toting camera gear, and looking like they were having a great time.