Sand Key Florida Blog

The 2nd Annual Super Boat Nationals Championship will invade the area starting October 1, 2010. The Friday through Sunday schedule includes a festival at Coachman Park. The boats race along Clearwater Beach, but are displayed daily for fans at Coachman Park.

It’s great to see this event back to the Sand Key area for a second year.

Help to Make Clearwater #1 Tennis Town the Country

Clearwater is a finalist in the top ten of the United States Tennis Association’s competition. Voting is now going on to choose a winner which will receive $100,000 for the purposes of expanding tennis in the community.

Please take the time to make our city number one by visiting this link http://www.besttennistown.com/ to vote for Clearwater. It only takes a moment to get recognition of our town as the best!

Gulf Seafood Safer Than Ever Before

The fish and other seafood coming out of the Gulf of Mexico is probably more safe now than it has ever been. With testing by multiple federal agencies, state authorities, wholesalers and various universities, we are getting layers of assurances that there are no dangers from the BP oil spill disaster raging in the northern Gulf. In fact, Gulf seafood, in my opinion, is far safer than most of the imported fish served in many restaurants and sold in grocery stores!

Now that the flow of oil has stopped, at least temporarily, the real question about seafood is -

What Long Term Effects Will the Oil Spill Have on Sustainability of Gulf Seafood?

Studies have shown that mature fish have the ability to metabolize small amounts of hydrocarbons. They also tend to migrate away from uncomfortable waters (this may account for the fabulous fishing around the Sand Key area these last few months). While adult seafood populations seem to be surviving to a great degree, the real issue is the eggs and larvae of the various species that have been destroyed.

What has the oil spill done to the next generation of seafood and the delicate balance of the Gulf fisheries already burdened by some over fishing and poor resource management?

When tallying the damages that BP must ante up, we should not forget the potential harm from the oil’s effects on the future of seafood production and recreational fishing. Studies need to begin now on how to replenish the ecosystem and sustain the future of Gulf fisheries.

For those of us on Sand Key who find it hard to leave the tranquility we enjoy, this is a great time to travel down the coast of Florida.

This past week we were in Ft; Myers Beach and Key West. The BP disaster in the northern Gulf has made hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations very pleasant without big crowds. Unfortunately, small businesses are suffering from the lack of normal business levels. For those of us on Backwaters annual Key West excursion we got great bargains on hotel rooms, the Key West Express and the competitive specials at restaurants. Our group of over 20 people found seating and accommodations readily available.

Remember to support the small independent restaurants, motels and establishments. These are the people who are trying to stay in business that make every area unique. There is nothing redeeming about chains and large corporations working on shareholders money.

Don’t forget, Backwater’s tenth anniversary party coming in August!

This past weekend we ventured out of Clearwater Pass due west for two days of fishing. Of course, fishing was our goal, but we also had a secondary thought about the conditions of the water due to the oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico. I am pleased to report that we saw no signs of oil, sheen’s on the water or even a trace of the disaster in northern waters.

The fishing was perfect and the waters were spectacular - clear and blue. We limited out on Red Snapper. Caught plenty of Mangrove Snapper, Black Grouper and Red Grouper. Even the Amberjack and occasional shark made the trip fantastic.

For now, our waters around Sand Key and Clearwater Beach are picture perfect. Let’s hope BP gets the oil well stopped from spewing it’s oil soon.

More of the Gulf of Mexico was closed to fishing on Monday as a result of the oil spill. The good news is that most of the Gulf waters added to the no fishing boundaries were west and south of the last closures. Marine Fisheries say the latest closure was “precautionary” only. Florida continues to see white beaches, gorgeous sunshine and maybe the best early summer fishing we have seen in ten years.

For a map showing the latest boundaries click here. If you haven’t seen the chart of how the spill has grown and the directions it has moved visit this animated site.

Early Friday morning I leave on a weekend fishing trip to almost the middle grounds. We will be very close to the closed boundary. This will be my opportunity to see first hand if there are any signs of the oil 100 miles or so west of Sand Key.

The oil spill and continuing leakage from the well near Venice, Louisiana has truly become an economic and environmental disaster FOR THAT AREA - not anywhere close to Clearwater Beach or Sand Key. Despite the media’s never ending spewing of mis-information, hypothetical situations and doom and gloom for Florida beaches, the fact is we are clean, the water is clear and the quality of the Gulf was evident when we recently were fishing in forty feet of water where we could see the bottom.

The imapact has been evident in other economic circumstances such as seafood. While the prices for local domestic shrimp has increased slightly, demand has been less, therefore there have been little supply shortages. People are questioning the safety of the local species such as grouper, snapper and mackeral. The fact is seafood may be safer than ever with new sampling and safety measures put in place to make certain there are no oil contaminates.

Tourism in this area down. How much? It is hard to determine. We know that European visitors are cancelling vacations in significant numbers fearing our beaches are in eminent danger as portrayed by the media. Restaurants, hotels and retail operations in tourist areas were encouraged with a great April when the oil spill occurred late in the month. Now after a record cold first quarter of the year and weak June sales, many businesses are fearing the summer will spell financial disaster.

Real estate sales were beginning to see some positive signs. Now, hesitant buyers are staying away from waterfront properties in a wait and see posture. This slow down may lead to further decline in values.

The good news is that are island is still pristine. June is still a great month to watch dolphins, manatee and tarpon as they roam close to shorelines and shallow water. Our summer waterfowl are here and putting on their show. Sand Key is still a great place to be!

Registration is open for the June 27th Triathlon benefiting Morton Plant Mease Foundation. The event will begin at 6:50 AM and the running portion will send the participants through Clearwater and Belleair.

On June 2, 2010 the Sand Key Civic Association will meet at the Community Sailing Center. Prior to the 7:30 meeting start, Sheriff Jim Coats will speak at 6:30 PM to the audience concerning the sheriff’sdepartment proposal to the City of Clearwater to handle law enforcement for the City.

Other matters on the agenda include committee reports including Beach Re-nourishment and Springfest 2010.

The public is encouraged and welcome to attend. Your input is what helps the SKCA continue to enhance the quality of life on the island.

It seems everyone must like the negative headlines being broadcast by most national media sources. Sure there is a great possibility that the oil spill COULD get a lot worse than what it is, but that is not the impression potential visitors to Florida are getting. The Gulf is NOT closed to fishing - despite what an ABC reporter stated. No oil has reached a Florida shore, nor are there any possibilities of that happening in the near future.

To reassure people who are watching the beaches we are posting this link to Clearwater Beach and the clean white sands we are enjoying - just click here for the Beach Walk Camera.

To watch the history and daily tracking of the oil slick in Gulf waters near Louisiana, MSNBC has set up a neat link to this animated news site.

While BP has taken responsibility for the damages of the spill itself, the news media should accept responsibility for inaccurate reporting.