ORANGE BEACH, AL - The Leave Only Footprints beach initiative is facing what officials believe will be the first real test of the system.

Under new rules visitors can no longer set up camp and leave belongings on beach overnight for use the next day or for the week-long stay.

Gulf Shores Public Works Assistant Director Noel Hand said crews picked up 26 chairs and five tents left on that city's beaches overnight Friday.

"We have four message boards out to inform guests not to leave any personal items on the beach one hour after sunset," Hand said. "The campaign is working great. The beaches are very clean."

In Orange Beach Coastal Resources Director Phillip West said in his city 20 chairs and six tents were collected and discarded. Orange Beach also has message boards up around town to advise visitors of the new policies.

Hand said the big test will be on Monday morning the day many people will be leaving and sometimes simply discard the beach items they no longer need by abandoning them on the beach.

The visitors are here and about 100,000 people were expected to be in both downs for the weekend and occupancy rates are near 100 percent in location accommodations.

Roads are crowded but holiday traffic was flowing around Pleasure Island on May 28. Beach parking lots were full and several prospective beach goers were circling waiting for a spot to open up.