We decided to head up to Blind Pass, as most of you know, it's where Sanibel and Captiva Island connect. It was a NW wind and let me tell you....the Red Tide was so bad there that Cheri and I couldn't take it! It normally doesn't bother either of us too bad, but this was unbearable! We did walk down the beach, and the erosion was crazy....much of the beach was gone, and it has all changed in the month since I was last there!
We were there about 30 minutes and had to leave....the wind was blowing toward the shore and the Red Tide was choking us both!....and there was still a lot of death on the beach so the smell was bad too...
I did pick up a piece of Sea Glass, which is very unusual on Sanibel!
Back to the Lighthouse.... Neither of us noticed any Red tide here, it was very calm, though the dark water and dead wildlife is a constant reminder....We did see a pelican there that actually landed on the beach....not in the water.
We went searching for minis....In case you don't know this, Cheri, in our little group, is known as the Wentle whisperer or Queen....she has constant radar running for them and can really find those little guys....see what I mean?
I can find them if they're like this....
But that is rarely the case....you have to be diligent and look very closely! I ended up with these for the evening....not too bad!
With the current state, with so many dead and dying fish....you have to be so careful.....so many tiny bones....(click on the pic to make it larger, then click the x to return) It becomes very difficult to pick up the tiny Wentletraps and Rice Olives.....see the bones in there? By the Billions!
Wentling is one of my favorite things to do....and it is very therapeutic! Cheri and I do it very often! I was rewarded on the way back to the car with a BEAUTIFUL, Huge Shark's eye! Sadly half of him was still in there, another reminder....
I left a little bit early....but did manage to snap a picture on my way back home! Always gotta have a little sunshine!
I decided to wear scuba boots today while shelling....hindsight is 20-20 right?! They're not very sexy, but protection is key at this point!
Today was somewhat different, I noticed a few times, little bit stronger urge to cough, and my nose ran just a bit. So the Red Tide is still present, I noticed other folks coughing as well. The stinky smell was a bit stronger today...the beach however was MUCH better! Little to no fish along the water, even at low tide....there were still a few on the highest tide line....tiny flounder, eels....and a few catfish.
The water was a bit cloudy, but not as dark....
and parts of the tidal pool was crystal clear..
I get so excited now to see life in the water....
we saw almost a dozen live starfish!
and a couple live Apple Murex....
Lightning Whelk....
...and this guy! I think Cheri was right! I believe it's a Fireworm! If we were right, according to the books, this guy can give you a painful sting!
We did find a few treasures today.... a Gaudy Nautica (sorry pic out of focus)
a few Shark's eyes, these had partial bodies still in them, needed to be cleaned out..... :(
I did find an Alphabet cone....and a BIG Jingle....
Cheri found this awesome Florida cone, and I never can resist a bright orange Scallop!
This is a HUGE Olive!
I found a nice Baby's Ear....Cheri found 3 more of these!
and the color of this Nutmeg!
There were quite a few Sand dollars floating in the tidal pools and along the edges...of course I had to pick up a few! ;)
Sanibel seems to be working hard to keep it all cleaned up....Cheri said that Blind Pass was in terrible shape and the smell was awful....I'm afraid it will continue to be a work in progress for a long time!
We are back in our paradise. Unfortunately our paradise island, Sanibel, as well as over 100 miles of shoreline along the west coast of Florida, is currently under attack by Red Tide, Blue Green algae and Sanibel is on the path of the constant release of water from Lake Okeechobee, which is highly polluted with chemicals. The water is awful, a deep Root beer color, and there has been dead sealife all over the island beaches. Sanibel has been working non-stop, cleaning the beaches of the death, but it is an ongoing process. They are doing a great job of keeping it as cleaned up as possible. Pictures I have gotten from Cheri from a few days ago were beyond belief. Keep in mind, I have no agenda, I own a house in Ft. Myers and this is my home, so I will show you what I see...no elaboration, but plenty of emotion that I will keep in check. This has all become so political here in Florida and so much drama, and inaccurate reports, something needs to be done, and soon.
Cheri Posted this on facebook yesterday, it says so much to me! She is speaking for those with no voice. Hopefully the word is slowly getting out....have you seen anything about it yet where you live?
From here on out, I plan on keeping these posts political-free and as positive as possible....but with no coverups!
Red tide affects different folks, different ways. It's usually respiratory issues, cough, running nose etc. It really attacks my Hubby. Me, not so much. I didn't know what to expect as I headed across the causeway, I didn't expect to see any birds at all. I did see a few Ibis on the Ft. Myers side.....like 3, and an Osprey on the bridge, so immediately I was feeling better. The water was so dark.....Cheri had already 'scouted' the beaches on the island to find which one seemed the best, and she said that today the Lighthouse was where Team Cheri's adventure was going to start! When I got out of the car, I did smell a slight fish smell, and had a couple of small coughs.
The upper beach was very clean, obviously swept, and there were vehicles working it. It was approaching low tide, so there was fish that were being deposited as the tide went out.....Lots of Crucifix, as they're called, which is actually from a catfish...
There were also newly dead fish, that still had they're color....
I believe this i a Spanish Mackeral....
check out those teeth!
...and this beautiful Cowfish.....
a Batfish....
and hundreds of Sea Squirts!
...and Billions of Bubbles! On the beach....
and in the water....
There were live Bubbles in a small tidal pool! They were walking along in line....Cheri called it a 'Bubble train'!
Here's a closeup of a live one in her hand!
Cheri (The Wentletrap Whisperer) found the Biggest Wentletrap I have ever seen! It was Gorgeous!!!
She also found a Sea Biscuit, a first for her!
There were several Baby's Ears out there too....this is a monster sized one Cheri also found!
I found a couple of firsts for me also....things to lookup in the books.....
I believe this is a Dove Snail....
This thin little shell, I still have not been able to find in the books....So thin and fragile, it is clear when it's wet....maybe a smooth Duck Clam? Will have to research it a little more!
We did find a few more live things...it was nice to see that some sealife is surviving, for now....
a live Sand Dollar....
a live Kings Crown...this guy has been around a long time!
Let me take the opportunity now to give you some advice.....wear shoes! I know, that seems like the smart thing, an obvious thing, right?! I guess I have too much Carolina in me....I had them on, but took them off before I left the car! It was all going just fine....we walked all the way around the point, and back. I was talking, not paying the attention that I should, I guess. I saw a catfish right on the waterline....he was badly decayed but sitting up, not on his side, apparently I didn't lift my foot high enough to clear him, and caught his dorsal fin in my foot! Not sure what I said, but I don't think it was G rated. Spilled my shells, looked down and the bone was sticking out of my foot! So I had to grab and pull....and pull....and finally it came out! Here's a picture of what it looked like...not THE one, but same size...
Sure wish I hadn't done that! Cheri very nicely picked up my spilled shells, and I headed to clean it up and PUT MY SHOES ON!
It's fine, I'm watching it and cleaning it often....no worries!
We did pretty well with the minis, which I love!
Wentletraps!
I couldn't resist these jaws with the teeth....who knows what they belong to!
There were areas where the smell was bad, areas where the bugs would eat us alive....so we would just continue on....every day is definitely going to be very different!
