Cancelling Sanibel - where can we go for 2 nights?

[COL41]

Originally Posted by marciehatter

I'm a bit scared of South Beach (!) - it looks a bit noisy as well, we like our peace and quiet! Have thought about staying in Miami but booked the car with BA and not sure we can change that now. Was looking at airbnb places with parking but not feeling very brave!

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We have been to South Beach twice in the summer for four nights and loved it. Yes, the main strip is a bit noisy but the two hotels we stayed at were at either end and quiet. The beach is huge so not crowded. There are loads of things to do and places to visit and it never once felt overbearing or too busy. We stayed at The Savoy and The Pestana. Although you’d have to pay for Uber or taxi to and from the airport, I’m glad we took that option rather than driving. It made for a more relaxing break there. I don’t know how BA/Avis would be re car but worth ringing and asking if it’s the only thing that ends up putting you off

[i love jack]

What’s the red tide?
We are staying in sanibel during our trip...

[ChrisS]

Marcie, this is massively bigger than just red tide - currently the Army Corp of Engineers are releasing highly toxic algae bloom water from Lake Okeechobee on a regular basis to the east and west. It's horrendous, the worst we've seen in over 20 years of visiting SW Fl, if you want to be away from that I recommend you stay north of Lake O.

Certain areas of SW/SE Fl are in a terrible state due to water releases from Lake Okeechobee, Floridian's are deeply shocked as whilst the battle against Lake O discharges occur year on year this is the worst ever seen - the utter filth/green slime they are seeing has been declared toxic and dangerous to life - it was announced 40% of Lake O was covered in harmful algae bloom. Due to the devastation, the Army Corp closed Lake O gates on 9th July, but reopened them a couple of days later. Gov Scott declared a state of emergency. Sealife/mammal deaths are piling up, copious fish, sting ray, dolphin, manatee and their babies, turtles, sadly a whale shark washed up on Sanibel (see video HERE), the beach was closed whilst a necropsy was performed, the county advise people stay well away from water/beaches, fishing isn't recommended, not good by any stretch of the imagination. Our Cze friends are at their Cape Coral home, which is on an unaffected canal, but it has still made his wife and young son very ill and requiring anti-biotics, they decided to pack up their Fl car and kids and drive 6k miles to California for a few weeks and were greeted by the fires on the West coast. Basically Lake O is where all the land/agriculture/US sugar muck, pesticides et al drains into from northern Fl. The Army Corp of Engineers used to drain it south into the Glades as the mangroves are excellent at cleaning up the muck whilst sending on the clean water. Now, they release the water west and east of Lake O and the devastation is profound. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are collecting as many of the reported mammals as possible for necropsy.

Beaches are covered in dead, rotting, stinking fish, including Goliath Grouper, manatee and dolphin - apparently the stench is horrific. FFW are removing dead manatee and dolphin for necropsy and whilst the county are trying their best to remove the dead fish it's on such a huge scale it's causing them huge difficulties.

THIS is a video taken by John Heim of the South Florida Clean Water Movement - if it plays please bear with him as he has a minor technical hitch. Apologies if it doesn't open for you. John also took photographs of the beach bar/restaurant he works in, not a soul, nobody to be seen, it's summer season, the place should be jumping but people have arrived, become sick and packed up and cleared off. Sadly nobody in Gov seems to give a damn that they are destroying the livelihood of many businesses.

EcoWatch report Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has logged 287 sea turtle deaths since the virulent algal bloom started in October 2017 along the SW coast (don't know about the east coast), see HERE. As you'll see in the report Greenpeace have also waded in on this utter disgrace.

THIS is a video taken on the beach at Sanibel Causeway this evening, 29th July. You'll hear the lady repeatedly coughing due to the stink and red tide hitting her respiratory system.

THIS is one of John's other video's taken today on Fort Myers Beach

Photo of Venice Pier - the toxic filth in the water caused by Lake O discharges:

[Sara_toga]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Marcie, this is massively bigger than just red tide - currently the Army Corp of Engineers are releasing highly toxic algae bloom water from Lake Okeechobee on a regular basis to the east and west. It's horrendous, the worst we've seen in over 20 years of visiting SW Fl, if you want to be away from that I recommend you stay north of Lake O.

Certain areas of SW/SE Fl are in a terrible state due to water releases from Lake Okeechobee, Floridian's are deeply shocked as whilst the battle against Lake O discharges occur year on year this is the worst ever seen - the utter filth/green slime they are seeing has been declared toxic and dangerous to life - it was announced 40% of Lake O was covered in harmful algae bloom. Due to the devastation, the Army Corp closed Lake O gates on 9th July, but reopened them a couple of days later. Gov Scott declared a state of emergency. Sealife/mammal deaths are piling up, copious fish, sting ray, dolphin, manatee and their babies, turtles, sadly a whale shark washed up on Sanibel (see video HERE), the beach was closed whilst a necropsy was performed, the the county are recommending people stay well away from the water/beaches, fishing is not recommended, not good by any stretch of the imagination. Our Cze friends are at their Cape Coral home, which is on an unaffected canal, but it has still made his wife and young son very ill and requiring anti-biotics, they decided to pack up their Fl car and kids and drive 6k miles to California for a few weeks and were greeted by the fires on the West coast. Basically Lake O is where all the land/agriculture/US sugar muck, pesticides et al drains into from northern Fl. The Army Corp of Engineers used to drain it south into the Glades as the mangroves are excellent at cleaning up the muck whilst sending on the clean water. Now, they release the water west and east of Lake O and the devastation is profound. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are collecting as many of the reported mammals as possible for necropsy.

Beaches are covered in dead, rotting, stinking fish, including Goliath Grouper, manatee and dolphin - apparently the stench is horrific. FFW are removing dead manatee and dolphin for necropsy and whilst the county are trying their best to remove the dead fish it's on such a huge scale it's causing them huge difficulties.

THIS is a video taken by John Heim of the South Florida Clean Water Movement - if it plays please bear with him as he has a minor technical hitch. Apologies if it doesn't open for you. John also took photographs of the beach bar/restaurant he works in, not a soul, nobody to be seen, it's summer season, the place should be jumping but people have arrived, become sick and packed up and cleared off. Sadly nobody in Gov seems to give a damn that they are destroying the livelihood of many businesses.

EcoWatch report Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has logged 287 sea turtle deaths since the virulent algal bloom started in October 2017 along the SW coast (don't know about the east coast), see HERE. As you'll see in the report Greenpeace have also waded in on this utter disgrace.

THIS is a video taken on the beach at Sanibel Causeway this evening, 29th July. You'll hear the lady repeatedly coughing due to the stink and red tide hitting her respiratory system.

THIS is one of John's other video's taken today on Fort Myers Beach

Photo of Venice Pier - the toxic filth in the water caused by Lake O discharges:

See more...

Just watched the video from Fort Myres beach I am now seriously thinking abut cancelling or stay there in just over seven weeks

[marciehatter]

Thanks ChrisS - yes I knew about Lake Okeechobee - but not that they released the water to the East as well, I thought we would be OK if we stuck to the Atlantic coast If anyone hears anything about the water quality on the East coast or down in the keys please keep me posted.

[Susan62]

We’re due to stay at Marco Island in just under two weeks for a few days, I’m really not sure wether to cancel or not. I know how bad Red Tide normally is as we first encountered it whilst staying at Clearwater a few years back. I’ve also booked a shelling trip which I now wonder if it will go ahead. I keep looking for updates, as I know that some areas are worse then others. Decision time!

[x_Ange_x]

Does anybody know if AMI is affected or if its expected to clear up - we are due to go in November so hopefully things would be better by then ?

[Sandra & co]

We went for a week of beaches, very dissapointed! We drove to Naples to two beaches only to be told there is red tide, Crecent Beach and Bowmans were ok but still not great, we were all coughing on Bowmans. Still had a nice time but would be lying if If I said we were not disapointed, I hope they get it sorted and we will love to go back.

[tocpe321]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Marcie, this is massively bigger than just red tide - currently the Army Corp of Engineers are releasing highly toxic algae bloom water from Lake Okeechobee on a regular basis to the east and west. It's horrendous, the worst we've seen in over 20 years of visiting SW Fl, if you want to be away from that I recommend you stay north of Lake O.

Certain areas of SW/SE Fl are in a terrible state due to water releases from Lake Okeechobee, Floridian's are deeply shocked as whilst the battle against Lake O discharges occur year on year this is the worst ever seen - the utter filth/green slime they are seeing has been declared toxic and dangerous to life - it was announced 40% of Lake O was covered in harmful algae bloom. Due to the devastation, the Army Corp closed Lake O gates on 9th July, but reopened them a couple of days later. Gov Scott declared a state of emergency. Sealife/mammal deaths are piling up, copious fish, sting ray, dolphin, manatee and their babies, turtles, sadly a whale shark washed up on Sanibel (see video HERE), the beach was closed whilst a necropsy was performed, the the county are recommending people stay well away from the water/beaches, fishing is not recommended, not good by any stretch of the imagination. Our Cze friends are at their Cape Coral home, which is on an unaffected canal, but it has still made his wife and young son very ill and requiring anti-biotics, they decided to pack up their Fl car and kids and drive 6k miles to California for a few weeks and were greeted by the fires on the West coast. Basically Lake O is where all the land/agriculture/US sugar muck, pesticides et al drains into from northern Fl. The Army Corp of Engineers used to drain it south into the Glades as the mangroves are excellent at cleaning up the muck whilst sending on the clean water. Now, they release the water west and east of Lake O and the devastation is profound. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are collecting as many of the reported mammals as possible for necropsy.

Beaches are covered in dead, rotting, stinking fish, including Goliath Grouper, manatee and dolphin - apparently the stench is horrific. FFW are removing dead manatee and dolphin for necropsy and whilst the county are trying their best to remove the dead fish it's on such a huge scale it's causing them huge difficulties.

THIS is a video taken by John Heim of the South Florida Clean Water Movement - if it plays please bear with him as he has a minor technical hitch. Apologies if it doesn't open for you. John also took photographs of the beach bar/restaurant he works in, not a soul, nobody to be seen, it's summer season, the place should be jumping but people have arrived, become sick and packed up and cleared off. Sadly nobody in Gov seems to give a damn that they are destroying the livelihood of many businesses.

EcoWatch report Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has logged 287 sea turtle deaths since the virulent algal bloom started in October 2017 along the SW coast (don't know about the east coast), see HERE. As you'll see in the report Greenpeace have also waded in on this utter disgrace.

THIS is a video taken on the beach at Sanibel Causeway this evening, 29th July. You'll hear the lady repeatedly coughing due to the stink and red tide hitting her respiratory system.

THIS is one of John's other video's taken today on Fort Myers Beach

Photo of Venice Pier - the toxic filth in the water caused by Lake O discharges:

See more...

Hi Chris

I did my own limited research but this puts it into a lot more perspective about the issues.

Thanks

TC

[Susan62]

Originally Posted by Susan62

We’re due to stay at Marco Island in just under two weeks for a few days, I’m really not sure wether to cancel or not. I know how bad Red Tide normally is as we first encountered it whilst staying at Clearwater a few years back. I’ve also booked a shelling trip which I now wonder if it will go ahead. I keep looking for updates, as I know that some areas are worse then others. Decision time!

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I just have spent all morning cancelling and re-arranging the first part of our trip and we are now going to New Orleans instead for a few days, which is something that I have always wanted to do, so exciting!