I have been to the beautiful Gulf of Mexico….
Panama City Beach, Florida…
Isn’t it beautiful?
To those of us familiar with the beaches in this area of the United States…..there are none more beautiful than our sugar white sandy beaches…we love it….
Panama City Beach has been very fortunate…they have been spared the horrid oily mess….so far….
So far we have been able to go there and swim, and parasail, and bask in its beauty….
We saw these guys walking by everyday….they are the spotters….
They wore heavy shoes and boots….
Some wore long sleeved shirts and hats to protect them from the sun….
The walked by once or twice a day…they were looking for signs of oil, tar balls, a sheen on the water….
And at night?
We saw this from our balcony….
These are not children with flashlights looking for crabs…
These were men and women out on the beaches when the tide came in…looking for oil…signs of oil…
It was an eerie sight….surreal….
this couldn’t happen here…not to beaches that we love…that we have vacationed on for years….brought here by our parents as children and now we bring our children….these beaches which have given us so much joy and so many wonderful memories…
Our sister beaches in Alabama, Orange Beach, Gulf Shores…Louisiana…have been affected horribly by the BP oil spill…the thing that we never thought would happen…has happened….
My family and I decided to forge ahead with our vacation…to support the Gulf and go anyway, amid the fears of oil on the beaches….we decided if the oil came, we would sit at the pool and face the beach….but, we were lucky…
Panama City Beach so far, has dodged the bullet…
Linda at Coastal Charm lives on the Gulf and she and so many others are feeling the consequences of the oil spill…this tragic, tragic oil spill, which is affecting lives, livelihoods, wildlife, marine life…everything…
Please visit Linda’s blog…she has phone numbers listed that you can call to urge and BEG the President to waive the Jones Act for the duration of this crisis. This would allow foreign vessels into our waters to aide us in the oil clean up. Skimmers that are capable of doing so much more…to help clean up our Gulf….
Please help!
So these beautiful beaches will be there for our grandchildren….and theirs….
much love to each of you….
God Bless and Keep those affected…..
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This is a wonderful post. Those beaches are gorgeous. I am heading over to the other site you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend and heres to many more vacations to that coast for you and your family.
Smiles ~ Ramona
Lou Cinda,
ReplyDeleteI want to give you a BIG HUG!!! Thanks sooooo much for posting about our beautiful beaches here on the gulf coast and spreading the word about the Jones Act! When you need help...you then know who your true friends are:)
Blessings,
Linda
Oh, sweet friend... this makes me want to cry. And there is SO much more at stake here than our beaches and the wildlife. In Florida, our entire economy is tied up with this. Thank you for this post. I keep wanting to write one, but I can't find the words. I'm actually too sad and angry to write. I have a reminder on my sidebar, but that's as far as I've gotten.
ReplyDeleteLove you much...
XO,
Sheila
Girl, this is using the power of the internet at it's best! Thank you for providing the link...I'll be going over there next. Powerful post!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
P.S. Rock the boat!
This brought tears to my eyes! This whole oil spill just makes me sick and so sad, especially for all the animals that are suffering horribly day after day. I also grew up going to PC and other surrounding beaches. I am praying for a miracle! Thank you for this wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Lou Cinda. After all this nesting I need to go on your vacation. Looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWCN
I'm glad your trip wasn't ruined by the oil! We are just sick about it...I can't stand to think about all the poor animals and people's livelyhood that are being affected by this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteMy parents usually take us somewhere every year...we were going to go to Destin, but my dad decided to go to Disney World because of the oil. I heard it hasn't hit Destin yet, but will soon. I know the economy is definitly being affected by this.
Your pictures are beautiful! I loved Disney World, but still missed the beach! Thanks for checking out my pics! I hope you get there again soon...we will go somewhere relaxing on our next trip! lol...Kristen
Lou Cinda,These photos are beautiful! This oil mess is such a tragedy. It's so good of you to spread the word. I'm so afraid that many more beaches, people, and animals are going to be affected before this over. laurie
ReplyDeleteHi Lou Cinda,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote a beautiful post. Thanks for keeping this topic in our hearts and minds!
I'm glad you are having a great vacation.
Enjoy your summer.
Jane
What a beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteWe just got back from a week at South Padre Island, and I thought each day how tragic this catastrophe is.
I will visit Linda's blog to get the info.
Laura
White Spray PainL
What a wonderful post! Your photos are absolutely amazing! Makes us really think about all that's at stake as a result of this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting and for your sweet comments!
Lou Cinda, I'm glad your trip wasn't marred by the oil spill where you were. It is a huge tragedy and one can only hope that the problem will be rectified soon. Happy 4th of July!
ReplyDeletexo Sue
Lou Cinda, so glad you had a lovely vacation, but my heart does break by all those who are being affected. Your last photo is just gorgeous!
ReplyDeletexo,
Debra
It absolutely sickens me what's happening in the Gulf. Thanks so much for this important post.
ReplyDeleteHave a very safe and Happy Fourth of July!
Hugs,
Anne
Beautiful pictures. Wish I were sitting on the beach right now.
ReplyDeleteHi Lou Cinda! So glad you got to have a wonderful beach vacation in PC! My daughter went in early June and said the only sign was large groups of sea creatures hanging out near the shore...more than usual. They saw schools of sting rays and jelly fish and even a huge sea turtle. I usually go to Sea Grove...a little to the west...but had previously decided to head to New Orleans instead. I'm still going, though sea food will be expensive there...and probably not local. :-( Like you, I am just heartsick to see what is hapening to the beautiful sugar white beaches. So sad! And like you, I plan to continue to support the Gulf area and head that way next year. Maybe, just maybe, it will be better! Or that's what I'm praying! Happy 4th!...hugs...Debbie
ReplyDeleteThank you LouCinda for first of all, GOING to the beach when so many have canceled their plans and for this post. We need to keep people aware of what's happening. I still haven't made it down yet. Here's what I've done: www.care4ourcoast.com and I've also written a post (early on in the spill): http://thedecoratedtree.blogspot.com/2010/05/gulf-of-mexico-drill-down.html
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post,such lovely photos....when will it ever end?!? So glad you went to the beach...so glad there is a beach to go to!! All the best,Chrissy
ReplyDelete