Cancelling Sanibel - where can we go for 2 nights?

[Sandra & co]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Hi Sandra - I didn't become aware of the level of severity until after we spoke about Capt Bruce. I spoke with island/Cape friends and checked out the Pine Island Prospect and the South Florida Clean Water page's and was flabbergasted. I'm now monitoring on a daily basis but the lack of official Governmental action/comment plus posted video's and photo's are shocking.

Be interested to see what the Army Corps of Engineers had to say at the Cape Coral meeting today. I bet they'll be glad it doesn't involve being fed as they'd likely be served toxic ridden raw fish!

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Hi Chris its not your fault, thanks for all the info you gave us, Ford Garage was the best. I want to go back, devastating for people living there and tourism. X

[Northtim]

I am just going to think happy thoughts and hope for offshore winds for a good while before we get there towards the end of August. It will be a shame if we can't do any boating but we booked a Villa that looks great and relaxing by the pool won't be the end of the world. Our villa is well away from the river so don't think there is toxic blue/green algae in the vicinity.

Just looked at that Fort Myers beach webcam, then another on Clearwater. I think the wind and rain may have a lot to do with the lack of people on any beaches today!

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Northtim

I am just going to think happy thoughts and hope for offshore winds for a good while before we get there towards the end of August. It will be a shame if we can't do any boating but we booked a Villa that looks great and relaxing by the pool won't be the end of the world. Our villa is well away from the river so don't think there is toxic blue/green algae in the vicinity.

Just looked at that Fort Myers beach webcam, then another on Clearwater. I think the wind and rain may have a lot to do with the lack of people on any beaches today!

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Hi Tim, it's only an advisory to stay clear of Ft Myers, and other, Beaches which is why there are but a few brave (stupid?) souls. Currently the sun is shining, temps are cira 90+ degrees but they're expecting one of the usual pm storms around 3pm. It's unfortunate, but understandable, that people are changing summer plans and cancelling bookings, causing a knock on effect to local business/restaurants. Hopefully releases end soon but, in the main, that's relative to the amount of future rainfall.

You'll be fine if you're well inland, currently it seems to be the canals closest to the river that are affected but concerns remain for all tidal canals. Enjoy that lovely pool home Below is a list I made up of places to visit, hope some appeal to you/family, under current circumstances I apologise about the water/beach related suggestions A friend who lives on the island recently visited Babcock Ranch, he thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

Depending on when, and where, you are in SW Fla, Cape Coral has a water park, Sunsplash.

It's a lovely area down, you'll have a smashing time. Plenty of beaches, watersports, fishing. Naples is a nice place to check out too - excellent soft white beach and long pier - naplesdowntown/naples-pier.htm
Naples conservancy - conservancy/
Tin City in Naples - tin-city/
Corkscrew Swamp - corkscrew.audubon/
Ding Darling on Sanibel (closed Fridays) dingdarlingsociety/
Edison Ford Estate in Fort Myers - edisonfordwinterestates/
Boat trips/dolphin watching/sunset cruises; from Captiva to Cabbage Key - captivacruises/
Casino Big M boat from Fort Myers Beach - bigmcasino/fort-myers-beach/
Everglades National Park boat tours - evergladesnationalparkboa...gulfcoast/
Babcock Ranch, on SR31 between Fort Myers and Arcadia - babcockwilderness/#!home/mainPage
Octagon wildlife sanctuary, just off SR31 between Fort Myers & Punta Gorda; Lauri Caron is an incredible lady who provides home to a multitude of animals, from exotic tigers, a rare black leopard, lions, bears, wolves to donkeys, goats, chickens, ducks, racoons, gators et al - check out the website video. The citizens/local big & small businesses donate food, supplies, manpower to keep them all fed. All volunteers happily donate their time, some for 10 plus years, ensuring the majority of monies collected cares for the animals. Open Sat & Sun and by appointment Mon to Fri - octagonwildlife/
Fort Myers tourist website - fortmyers-sanibel/?gc...FdY8gQodTo8ACA
Visit Florida website - visitflorida/en-us/ci...ort-myers.html
Muscle Car City, Punta Gorda - musclecarcity/
Shopping anyone? Miramar Outlets with over 140 top designer outlet stores - miromaroutlets-px.smrtlnk/
Sanibel Outlets - sanibeloutlets/

[Sandra & co]

There was a meeting at the Yacht club two hours ago, I wonder if they managed to sort out what they can do. I saw it on facebook x

[tocpe321]

Originally Posted by Sandra & co

There was a meeting at the Yacht club two hours ago, I wonder if they managed to sort out what they can do. I saw it on facebook x

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Just had a look. Apparently there was a dead manatee in the water when people left the meeting.

[Yanto]

Hi,

Just spoken to our Condo owner on Fort Myers Beach, she has a latest update from the guy at Fish Tail Marina: -

“He said that the red tide comes and goes and that the town cleans up the dead fish as they appear. He said that they had small red tides a couple of times in March and April, but it went away in just a few days. He expects that this one, although larger, will be gone by September”

I also looked at a few webcams dotted around the area although the beaches look quite empty (maybe because of the overcast weather today) the water and beaches do not look too bad.

fortmyers-sanibel/cu...ach-conditions

Personally I am not overly concerned have seen red tide before in the area ok admittedly not this bad but I too think it will clear fairly quickly. We love the condo and the area has lots to occupy us other than perhaps sitting on the beach, so maybe have to change a few plans but no big deal. If we can get through Irma last year this will be a cake walk. The wildlife is the most important thing and they need to do something urgently to stop that devastation.

I for one still can’t wait to get there.

[ChrisS]

Sadly a dead female manatee at the Cape Coral Yacht Club had to be removed from the water by FFW today, 3 males were trying to mate with the dead female. I saw the removal video, very harrowing, the water is the colour of black tea.

The meeting with The Army Corps of Engineers lasted some two hours, there was no State representatives (apparently Gov Scott is in Tampa at some Trump rally), there was mention of a Mayor being present, I assume from Cape Coral or Fort Myers. There are suggestions the current red tide is not connected to the Lake O releases, whilst others are producing evidence to the contrary. Two of many statements:

After extensive reading my understand is that they are in fact related. While the discharges themselves don't cause red tide (it's naturally occurring), when the algae breaks down as it hits the saltwater, the byproducts feed the red tide making it far worse and extending the time it occurs.

They are related in the sense that phosphorous and nitrogens are both involved. The red tide is being fed by runoff from phosphate mines. The Lake O pollution is from a lot of sources!

There was mention of 'it'll be back to normal by 2022', whatever normal is.

Apparently Erin Brockovich is now becoming involved and lamblasted elected officials:

All you have to do is LOOK at these photos from Florida!

To the Governor of Florida and to ALL the elected representatives of Florida... what are you doing? What are you thinking? Are you just really going to stand by and stand down and watch this destruction? You cowards! People are sick! The ecosystem, the marine life is dying! Do your damn jobs and get off your ass and help your people, your state, our environment. This is so wrong, at every level, that there are no words to describe it!

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Sandra & co

There was a meeting at the Yacht club two hours ago, I wonder if they managed to sort out what they can do. I saw it on facebook x

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Hi Sandra - sadly no resolution for the 2018 Lake O releases, it's too far in for the Corps to cease releases and due to Lake O levels they have to discharge. If any good has come from this season it may be that Gov Scott et al., make serious inroads for 2019+ discharges but somehow I believe it'll take a lot longer, irrespective of where discharges are sent, even to the south, whilst Lake O remains the run off area for the land mass above discharges are going to occur.

Originally Posted by tocpe321

Just had a look. Apparently there was a dead manatee in the water when people left the meeting.

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Sadly yes TC, a female surrounded by 3 males attempting to mate with her corpse.

Originally Posted by Yanto

Hi,

Just spoken to our Condo owner on Fort Myers Beach, she has a latest update from the guy at Fish Tail Marina: -

“He said that the red tide comes and goes and that the town cleans up the dead fish as they appear. He said that they had small red tides a couple of times in March and April, but it went away in just a few days. He expects that this one, although larger, will be gone by September”

I also looked at a few webcams dotted around the area although the beaches look quite empty (maybe because of the overcast weather today) the water and beaches do not look too bad.

fortmyers-sanibel/cu...ach-conditions

Personally I am not overly concerned have seen red tide before in the area ok admittedly not this bad but I too think it will clear fairly quickly. We love the condo and the area has lots to occupy us other than perhaps sitting on the beach, so maybe have to change a few plans but no big deal. If we can get through Irma last year this will be a cake walk. The wildlife is the most important thing and they need to do something urgently to stop that devastation.

I for one still can’t wait to get there.

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Yes Yanto, red tide's been on/off since last Oct and apart from our sunset boat outing it didn't affect us, but then we're not beach people, prefer the pool. It'll eventually calm down and hopefully the area will be clear for your arrival... and our's in mid November

I concur, huge changes for citizens health and sealife survival need prioritising, especially as this year has produced the worst devastation seen. Harrowing sights, video's/photo's are extremely upsetting, particularly for the locals.

Have a smashing holiday later in the year

[singerella]

This is so sad. We will be in Sanibel at the end of August, it's too late to cancel without it costing us $$$ and far from being a lovely relaxing end to our holiday we are now dreading it! Red tide, from what I understand, is natural and therefore unavoidable; I completely get that. But to have all that dead sealife about and the contributing factors (however much they want to say Lake O has nothing to do it it clearly has!) making a bad situation so much worse...I just don't understand it! How can it be acceptable to see death on the scale its occurring there and no damage limitation being done? I thought of Erin Brockovich, I hope someone, somewhere, starts to be honest about the situation and tries to find a solution. So, so sad

[smithlane]

Originally Posted by singerella

This is so sad. We will be in Sanibel at the end of August, it's too late to cancel without it costing us $$$ and far from being a lovely relaxing end to our holiday we are now dreading it! Red tide, from what I understand, is natural and therefore unavoidable; I completely get that. But to have all that dead sealife about and the contributing factors (however much they want to say Lake O has nothing to do it it clearly has!) making a bad situation so much worse...I just don't understand it! How can it be acceptable to see death on the scale its occurring there and no damage limitation being done? I thought of Erin Brockovich, I hope someone, somewhere, starts to be honest about the situation and tries to find a solution. So, so sad

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The images I’ve been continually seeing on the Cape Coral FB group I’m on are simply harrowing. Erin Brockovich has been approached and has condemned what is going on. I’m not sure legally what can be done though. Just shocking in this day and age the powers that be can get away with it. Money certainly talks...!
I hope you manage to have a lovely time regardless