Florida East Coast Beach
Lately I’ve seen television ads for Pensacola beach and others on the gulf coast of Florida. They say that the beaches are fine and it’s still a great place to vacation, but honestly, who will plan a trip and take the chance that once they arrive they will be greeted by tarballs and dead wildlife?
Florida is HOT in the summer months and going into the water is a must and all the hotels have pools, but really, what’s the point.
I live in New Hampshire now, but I lived in central Florida most of my life and I am as disgusted over what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico as everyone else is.
I assume that there are many people who have never seen that area of the country and now won’t have the chance to know it’s beauty. I’ve been thinking recently that I need to travel back down and visit my favorite beaches before there will be no reason to go. Everyone says, “You’d better hurry!”
I can’t look at the pictures of the pelicans covered with oil, or read about the baby dolphins washing ashore, and I can not imagine seeing it first hand. My son lives there still and the news he tells me is not the same news I get up in the northeast. The oil affects them more directly and he hears about it constantly.
My question is this concerning the wildlife… once the environmentalists who help with the rescuing of the creatures of the area, get them cleaned up, where do they go? I mean, what is the point? They have no “home” to return to.
I don’t have answers and I need to research this more, but I am really afraid to because I don’t think there are any answers.
I photograph shells for my business, Sandpiper Wedding, and I have a small collection of shells from the east coast of Florida and Sanibel Island. I hear and read a lot about the job losses and animals dying and drilling moratoriums. And I am wondering what will happen to the mollusks (seashells) and sand dollars and sea grass and mangroves. It’s all so important and all such a mess.
Now oil is reaching the Mississippi beaches in masses and they can’t even clean it up? If there are not enough people to clean one area of beaches what will happen in Florida which is mostly beaches?
I know that the realtors and hotel owners, and maybe even the coastal residents, want to hope and believe that they will be fine. It will all move off and their little areas of paradise will never be harmed. I think it mush be what they believe because I can’t find anyone who lives there blogging about it. They haven’t got a care in the world it seems. Maybe it’s the tourism mentality – no one gets to see the “real” Florida.
Do you live in the oil spill area and are you concerned? I’d love to read your blog and will link to it if it’s good.
More to come.
New England's Narrow Road 
sharon Lovejoy
I think about this constantly. In 1969 I lived in Santa Barbara when the Union 76 well blew. I remember the torture of dying birds, trying to clean them, watching the cliffs be steam cleaned so that the President of the US would not see the disaster.
About the shells etc? My friend runs a team of scientists who have hit the beaches to sample the populations of invertebrates, etc. in the sand, which they feel are going to disappear after this disaster. This is the most amazing thing. We can land a man on the moon, but take care of our own fragile planet…not very well.
I’ve beachcombed on Sanibel Island. It is a nature lover’s delight. The colors of the the shells changed my entire color sense.
I am heartsick and feel hopeless over this.
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
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seashellsbymillhill
Your line “which they feel are going to disappear after this disaster” is heartbreaking! I hope not, but that oil is sinking as well as floating and will affect all living things in the area. The ecosystem will break down which will affect the ones that weren’t touched by the oil. So sad. Thanks for taking the time to comment Sharon.
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Kathryn
I am very concerned & sad too. It breaks my heart & i can’t look at the pictures of the wildlife.
This is an example of man messing where he has no business & totally destroying the beauty & wonder of God’s creation.
I’m afraid, too, that this is going to start a new series of scams “save the wildlife” type thing where they ask for funds to help, but the funds won’t go for anything that benefits the need.
The ones responsible for this & who have a lot of money need to pay for this & not the taxpayers.
So, i’ve concerns that way, too, but much more for the things you mention & the destruction which will be the result of this mess.
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Mattenylou
I worry, too, about the birds and animals. They need our help now, right now. I’m wondering why we’re not hearing more about this, too. I hope you get some readers to post links to some Florida blogs, I’m interested in hearing what is being done there… thanks!
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