# Red Tide -Southwest FL Beaches



## LMD (Aug 1, 2018)

I don't see any threads specifically about this but wanted to make people aware if you have travel plans to SW FL. Its bad from Sarasota all the way down to Naples. Marco not as bad but still dead fish washing up on shore.  The neuro toxins are irritating to the respiratory system and the bacteria levels in the water can cause deadly infections. Its really a sad situation.


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## Bwolf (Aug 1, 2018)

Sanibel and Captiva are affected.  Those vacationing now are very upset.


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## Jan M. (Aug 1, 2018)

Last year the East coast of Florida was this bad. 

You can read about it in an article in the Sun Sentinel.
*A Draining Problem*
*How The Release Of Lake Okeechobee Floodwaters Is Dirtying Florida's Coastline*
By Andy Reid, Irfan Uraizee and Yiran Zhu
Updated on June 21, 2018


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## rapmarks (Aug 1, 2018)

We could not go to the beach at all last spring and it is apparently worse, dead fish, dead sea turtles.  And they keep releasing from lake O


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## silentg (Aug 1, 2018)

How is it at Fort Myers Beach? We go in January.


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## Laurie (Aug 1, 2018)

We're going in Dec, and I wondered the same, since I've been reading about the large # of manatees and sea turtles dying plus sickened sea birds. And I know they haven't stopped releasing the poisonous agricultural runoff.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article215839815.html. 

"Red tide, a type of marine algae that undergoes an explosive growth and begins producing toxins, typically occurs off Florida’s southwest coast every year between late summer and fall and spring. Due to currents and winds, some tides never reach shore. But this year’s tide, Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials say, is the worst since the last big tide in 2006, that lasted for more than a year and a half and killed more than 250 manatees."


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## Jan M. (Aug 1, 2018)

You will be fine in December and January. The higher summer water temperatures and the large amount of water released causes this. Part of the reason it is so bad this time of year is because the Army Corp of Engineers drops the water levels/releases a lot of water in preparation for hurricane season. They do this to protect Herbert Hoover dike which surrounds Lake Okeechobee and is in deplorable condition.


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## Laurie (Aug 1, 2018)

Jan M. said:


> You will be fine in December and January.


Sure hope so! Unless it repeats 2006, when it lasted a year and a half, according to the article I quoted from above... especially as weather patterns are getting more extreme, with more records being broken everywhere.


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## rapmarks (Aug 1, 2018)

I know it was bad in December of the year I traded into Vanderbilt Beach, Naples


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## Still (Aug 1, 2018)

On the news last night, Green Algae kill in and around Brevard county


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## Sea Six (Aug 2, 2018)

I've lived here for many years, and have gotten somewhat used to the dead fish washing on shore during a red tide bloom..  This year it's worse than ever.  Thousands of dead fish,  dozens of dead sea turtles, a few manatees, and for the first time I'm aware of - a dead whale shark washed ashore on Sanibel.  Also, the green muck on the surface of the canals is disgusting, not to mention actually sickening people.  The worst of it appears to be at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River - Ft Myers Beach, Sanibel, Pine Island, Cape Coral, and on up to Charlotte Harbor.  Google Blue Algae Ft Myers, or Red Tide Ft Myers, and you will see dozens of stories to read.  It's never been this bad before.


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## Tucsonadventurer (Aug 2, 2018)

We are going early Oct. Will it be any better by then. This is the 1st year we are bringing guests. We will be in Siesta Key and then Singer Island. This is so sad. I feel for the businesses


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## stevio99 (Aug 2, 2018)

My wife is down there right now (at Sanibel).  Says Sanibel and Ft. Myers are definitely hit.  It spared some parts of Captiva, she was on the ocean there today and it was fine.
Here's a good map : http://myfwc.com/redtidestatus

I was trying to get down there for Labor day, but in light will have to change things up a bit.


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## Jan M. (Aug 2, 2018)

Some of our neighbors have lived in our plan for over 30 years and said this is the hottest summer they can remember. Our electric bill for last month was the highest we've had since we replaced our AC unit 7 summers ago. The heat is making the algae/red tide bloom worse.

It is appalling the amount of money that Florida, the Federal government and the Army Corp of Engineers have spent and this is still happening. We keep hearing that they are once again drawing up plans to fix things so this doesn't keep happening and of course it requires an even more obscene amount of money with no guarantees what they are proposing will even work.


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 2, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> I know it was bad in December of the year I traded into Vanderbilt Beach, Naples


I just talked to my aunt who bought a place in FL, on the water in Port Of The Islands and she is bummed as she wanted to go back in September, I guess a bunch of fish are dead


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## rapmarks (Aug 3, 2018)

My friends reported that many restaurants have closed on fort Myers beach and it is like a ghost town


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## Maple_Leaf (Aug 4, 2018)

It's not just the red tide but also the green goo coming from Lake Okeechobee. The stench of putrid seaweed and rotting fish just made me want to vomit, so it doesn't surprise me that many waterfront restaurants are closed.


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## silentg (Aug 4, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> My friends reported that many restaurants have closed on fort Myers beach and it is like a ghost town


Awful!


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## Jan M. (Aug 4, 2018)

I was just reading the posts to my husband about how bad the smell is, about all the dead animals and fish and that restaurants are closed. He expressed sympathy for the business owners who are being hurt. I would hope this qualifies as a state of emergency which would allow them some relief on their taxes and even some financial help from the government. Tourism is the number one revenue generator for the State of Florida. Until we moved here I had no idea how many people come to Florida in the summer. Many of them come from South America and Australia because it is winter there. All of them will be going home telling everyone how awful it was. Tourists may decide to go someplace else next year and decide it is their new favorite place to go. How do you get them to come back?

My husband was telling me the latest plan is to build a series of ponds or lakes south of Okeechobee and plant grasses in them which will help filter the water from Okeechobee. He wondered why they don't so that for the streams and rivers that feed into Okeechobee before the water from them reaches Okeechobee. From what I've read Okeechobee is so bad it should be declared a toxic site. From what I read in excess of a billion dollars has already been spent on futile efforts and studies. The government still refuses to step up and do something about the all the farming waste, fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals that are the cause. Instead they are protecting the profits for the couple of major companies who make and sell these things. Time and money were spent and wasted instead of exploring other farming methods. Our State and Federal governments which are tasked with protecting us chose to sacrifice the health,well being, and livelihood of millions of people rather than quit lining their pockets with the money from these big companies.

Yes I'm on a rant because the latest project they are proposing will cost in excess of half a billion dollars which going on past history from what they've previously done means at least double that amount and they hope to have it done by 2025. If what they are proposing this time actually works and they get it done before another hurricane like Andrew hits that part of Florida. They know the dike system surrounding Okeechobee is leaking and they have done some some work on it but there are still sections that are leaking. The dike is in such deplorable condition that it will fail if the area would get hit with a major hurricane and the after effects would be horrendous. I'm going to step down off my soap box now and not say anything about the untold billions of dollars spent that leave this Country and don't benefit the citizens and taxpayers of this Country. That was money that could have been spent on repairing/replacing the dike.


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## rapmarks (Aug 4, 2018)

Remember the idea to buy land south of lake O with 20/20 funds and use to filtrate the water but not approved by governor


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## Talent312 (Aug 8, 2018)

Great... We're at the Caribbean Beach Club in Ft. Meyers Beach starting 8/25.
Maybe we'll just stay by the pool instead of hiking out to the beach.

.


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## Panina (Aug 8, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> Great... We're at the Caribbean Beach Club in Ft. Meyers Beach starting 8/25.
> Maybe we'll just stay by the pool instead of hiking out to the beach.
> 
> .


Hopefully you will enjoy.  I am down that way later in the year. Let us know how it goes.


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## rapmarks (Aug 8, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> Great... We're at the Caribbean Beach Club in Ft. Meyers Beach starting 8/25.
> Maybe we'll just stay by the pool instead of hiking out to the beach.
> 
> .


From what I understand, you may be bothered by it there.  Try sightseeing


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## Jan M. (Aug 8, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> Great... We're at the Caribbean Beach Club in Ft. Meyers Beach starting 8/25.
> Maybe we'll just stay by the pool instead of hiking out to the beach.
> 
> .



I was looking on the internet to see how big an area is being hit and it is worse than I thought on the West coast of Florida. I doubt the smell will be gone by then nor all the clean up done. I would contact RCI and find out if you can cancel the week with no penalty given the circumstances. And if you have flights booked have them help you find something on the East coast of Florida. Even if you are flying into Fort Myers you can drive in two hours to the resorts in the Pompano, Deerfield and Delray Beach areas or Boca Raton.


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## Panina (Aug 8, 2018)

Jan M. said:


> I was looking on the internet to see how big an area is being hit and it is worse than I thought on the West coast of Florida. I doubt the smell will be gone by then nor all the clean up done. I would contact RCI and find out if you can cancel the week with no penalty given the circumstances. And if you have flights booked have them help you find something on the East coast of Florida. Even if you are flying into Fort Myers you can drive in two hours to the resorts in the Pompano, Deerfield and Delray Beach areas or Boca Raton.


Based on the past, do you think the last two weeks of December will be as bad in Marco Island?


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## Jan M. (Aug 8, 2018)

Panina said:


> Based on the past, do you think the last two weeks of December will be as bad in Marco Island?


 
The dead fish and smell should be long gone by then. It isn't unheard of for red tides to happen at other times of year but they don't last like this and they aren't as widespread either. My husband said that he just read that this is the worst red tide in over a decade. But it has also been a very hot summer and that exacerbates the problem. We also haven't had any big storms yet that come in hurricane season to blow it out either.


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## Laurie (Aug 9, 2018)

Once again, here's the link to check status (thank you stevio99):
http://myfwc.com/redtidestatus

I'm checking every few days because we have 3 exchanges later this year on west coast of FL. Unfortunately just one was impacted last week, but now it's 2, and it's spreading both up and down the coast.  One exchange is with II which I can potentially re-trade, but 2 are RCI so I'd have to forfeit the exchange fee and maybe the TPU's.


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## Jan M. (Aug 9, 2018)

Laurie said:


> Once again, here's the link to check status (thank you stevio99):
> http://myfwc.com/redtidestatus
> 
> I'm checking every few days because we have 3 exchanges later this year on west coast of FL. Unfortunately just one was impacted last week, but now it's 2, and it's spreading both up and down the coast.  One exchange is with II which I can potentially re-trade, but 2 are RCI so I'd have to forfeit the exchange fee and maybe the TPU's.



Don't stress yourself out worrying about what is happening now effecting your vacation later this year. It will be long gone by the time you are going. However there is no way to predict what could happen when you will be going as red tides can happen at any time, but generally happen when the water is warmer. And it is unusual that they effect such a large area or last this long. Btw the water in later November and for the next couple of months might seem warm to you but it isn't as warm as it is now.

For the last 7 years we have been going to resorts on the beaches in Sanibel, Captiva, Naples, Marco Island and Sarasota every few months. One time, and only the one time, were we at a resort after there had been a red tide in the area not far from where the resort was. We never in all our stays encountered a red tide. That time the red tide was couple of weeks earlier and we weren't bothered by smells but did see the dried up remains of some dead fish when we walked up the beach towards that area. Just to be cautious my husband would go up to the shower/foot rinsing station and rinse off after he got out of the water. We bought jugs of water to drink and cook with but I usually do that no matter where we go.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Aug 9, 2018)

Panina said:


> Based on the past, do you think the last two weeks of December will be as bad in Marco Island?





It's hard to really know.  I've seen National News stories on the current crisis and some of them have said that the potential of it lasting a year to a year and a half.

I can tell you from previous encounters that the smell is not pleasant at all......

And, best I can tell this is not currently affecting Marco Island.




.


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## Laurie (Aug 10, 2018)

Trying to feel optimistic that this year will be like past years, but so far it's not quite working for me - since nothing much climate-wise is normal.

"Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in ... 8/2 at South Marco Beach..."


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## Panina (Aug 10, 2018)

Laurie said:


> Trying to feel optimistic that this year will be like past years, but so far it's not quite working for me - since nothing much climate-wise is normal.
> 
> "Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in ... 8/2 at South Marco Beach..."


I am like you. I have 4 weeks planned closer to the end of the year on the west coast fl and not sure what to do. Will wait awhile before I switch and hope it gets better


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## Carta (Aug 11, 2018)

Headed to Ormond beach (Atlantic side, near Daytona) 1st week of Oct..Any Concerns?


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## Sea Six (Aug 13, 2018)

Carta said:


> Headed to Ormond beach (Atlantic side, near Daytona) 1st week of Oct..Any Concerns?


Isn't that bike week, when thousands of bikers take over Daytona Beach?  Do you ride a Harley?


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## rapmarks (Aug 13, 2018)

Should I take my exchange into Vanderbilt beach, dec 15, or worry about it being ruined by red tide.


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## silentg (Aug 13, 2018)

https://visitbeaches.org/#
We are going to Ft Myers Beach in January. Not changing plans


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## CanuckTravlr (Aug 13, 2018)

Sea Six said:


> Isn't that bike week, when thousands of bikers take over Daytona Beach?  Do you ride a Harley?



I think you mean Biketoberfest, which is certainly a motorcycle rally.  It will not be until October 18th to 21st.  So Carta will not likely be there at that time.

The week traditionally known as Bike Week in Daytona is during Spring Break.  In 2019 it will be held Mar 8th to 17th.  It is larger and longer than the fall meet.


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## CanuckTravlr (Aug 13, 2018)

Carta said:


> Headed to Ormond beach (Atlantic side, near Daytona) 1st week of Oct..Any Concerns?



You should be fine.  Red tides usually occur on the Gulf Coast, not so much on the Atlantic coast of Florida.  The Gulf side has generally shallower, warmer waters than the Atlantic side, which helps the algae bloom to develop.


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## Panina (Aug 13, 2018)

silentg said:


> https://visitbeaches.org/#
> We are going to Ft Myers Beach in January. Not changing plans


I will be in Marco Island and Captiva, also not changing plans.  Maybe we can get together if we are going the same time.


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## Laurie (Aug 14, 2018)

silentg said:


> https://visitbeaches.org/#


Thanks silentg, that's another excellent beach-specific website to check!


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## rapmarks (Aug 14, 2018)

I took my trade in Naples in December and hoping for the best


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## Sea Six (Aug 14, 2018)

My wife caught a report on national news today - showed the thick blue-green algae sludge floating on top of the water in the canals, and showed pics of the dead fish, turtles, dolphins, and a whale shark washing up on the beach in the Ft Myers area because of the red tide in the Gulf.  She said our tourism is screwed.  Can't imagine why anyone would come to this area until this is resolved.  It's worse than you can imagine.


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## silentg (Aug 14, 2018)

Optimistic that it will be ok in January.
We have been keeping up with the beach reports. It’s pretty bad there now.
Silentg


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## brdzonbat (Aug 15, 2018)

The Webcam at The Turtle Club, shows a pretty nice beach. This restaurant is very close to Vanderbilt Beach and Harbour Club.


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## rapmarks (Aug 15, 2018)

Yes, thank you, we were actually staying on Vanderbilt beach fifteen years ago when we saw an ad in the newspaper and ended up buying our house.


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## Talent312 (Aug 15, 2018)

RCI's Red-Tide Policy: Cancellation Penalties Apply.
"Thank you for your inquiry about the current situation with Red Tide in Florida. At this time RCI is not offering any exceptions for cancellations and they are following the standard cancel policy. Currently, if you decide to cancel, the $239 RCI exchange fee will be forfeited and, if points protection was not purchased, depending on when you cancel, you may forfeit points. If you would like to add the points protection for $59, you can receive 100% of the points back should you choose to cancel. You can also wait until closer to the dates to see if anything changes with RCI's cancel policy for this situation."
.


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## moonstone (Aug 15, 2018)

Seems to be very serious. Maybe RCI will change their minds now.  Hoping for a quick recovery.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...5/florida-red-tide-state-emergency/995777002/


~Diane


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## Panina (Aug 15, 2018)

moonstone said:


> Seems to be very serious. Maybe RCI will change their minds now.  Hoping for a quick recovery.
> 
> https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...5/florida-red-tide-state-emergency/995777002/
> 
> ...


I doubt RCI will change their mind. They are still listing available units in the areas that have the problem.  This morning there were quite a few weeks available for the 24th.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 16, 2018)

silentg said:


> https://visitbeaches.org/#
> We are going to Ft Myers Beach in January. Not changing plans



Thanks for the info. 
From that site found several other resources.

From https://mote.org/news/article/red-tide-what-mote-is-doing-now

*Red tide resources for the public*

_To report fish kills, contact the FWC Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511 or submit a report online._
_FWC’s statewide red tide status reports (on abundance of K. brevis algae) are typically updated every Friday afternoon: myfwc.com/redtidestatus_
_Based on statewide results, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides forecasts of potential respiratory irritation: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/hab/_
_Mote’s CSIC app allows users to report when and where they experience respiratory irritation or see discolored water or dead fish — all potential indications of Florida red tide. motecsic.org_
_Mote’s Beach Conditions Reporting System provides shoreline observations as often as twice daily: visitbeaches.org_
_Red tide background info from Mote and FWC, respectively (including FAQs): https://mote.org/pages/florida-red-tide1and myfwc.com/redtide_
_Red tide and human health – information and rack cards from Florida Department of Health: floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins/red-tide.html_
_FWC’s red tide offshore monitoring program – a way for volunteers to help. myfwc.com/research/redtide/monitoring/current/offshore-monitoring/_
_FWC-Mote Facebook page, Florida Red Tide and Other Harmful Algal Blooms: facebook.com/flhabs_


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 16, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> Should I take my exchange into Vanderbilt beach, dec 15, or worry about it being ruined by red tide.


Oh wow, I have been trying to exchange into Vanderbilt beach for years, can I ask what you used to get this exchange and was it through II or RCI?  thanks


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## rapmarks (Aug 16, 2018)

Sugarcubesea said:


> Oh wow, I have been trying to exchange into Vanderbilt beach for years, can I ask what you used to get this exchange and was it through II or RCI?  thanks


Traded through rci, I put in an ongoing search including three resorts on Marco and two resorts on siesta key, I used my last combined tpu which was 75, and have a lot left.  Red tide may have scared someone else off.
May I add that this is twenty to thirty minute drive from our house, so it may seem silly to take as an exchange.


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## silentg (Aug 16, 2018)

Not silly. We go to resorts close to home too. It’s nice to get away and still be close by. Staying at a resort is always a nice change of pace.
Silentg


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## Panina (Aug 16, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> Traded through rci, I put in an ongoing search including three resorts on Marco and two resorts on siesta key, I used my last combined tpu which was 75, and have a lot left.  Red tide may have scared someone else off.
> May I add that this is twenty to thirty minute drive from our house, so it may seem silly to take as an exchange.


How great to have a wonderful vacation so close to home.  Traveling is the worst part of going on vacation.


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 16, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> Traded through rci, I put in an ongoing search including three resorts on Marco and two resorts on siesta key, I used my last combined tpu which was 75, and have a lot left.  Red tide may have scared someone else off.
> May I add that this is twenty to thirty minute drive from our house, so it may seem silly to take as an exchange.


I don't think it's sill at all, its in a great location and these are difficult to trade into


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## Jan M. (Aug 16, 2018)

silentg said:


> Not silly. We go to resorts close to home too. It’s nice to get away and still be close by. Staying at a resort is always a nice change of pace.
> Silentg



We've done that too. Last summer we stayed at a resort in Boca Raton on the beach for the 4th of July week. We call it our version of a staycation.

The week after next we are staying at Caloosa Cove in Islamorada down in the Keys which is only about 2 hours from us. Last week we were at Wyndham Glacier Canyon with our DIL and two granddaughters. Due do delays on the construction of a new building the 7 year old's school doesn't start back until September 6th so we brought her home with us. We usually go to Sanibel for a week when she comes for her vacations with Grandma and Papa but not this time thanks to the red tide. We really enjoy going to Naples and Sanibel on the opposite coast of Florida from where we live.

We are at Wyndham Bonnet Creek doing Disney this week. Met up with a fellow Tugger who has a daughter for our granddaughter to play with in the pool and lazy river and we have been going to the Disney Parks together too. We've been having a wonderful time. Our son and DIL were teasing me about what a tough life it is when I told them since we can't go to Sanibel so we are going to the Keys. We had 6 days at Wyndham Glacier Canyon with all the waterparks, now 5 days at Bonnet Creek with Disney, then a week at home with us with the pool, different playgrounds close to us and things we will do that week and finish up with the week in the Keys. Our son and DIL said anyone of the those would be a major vacation for an entire family but thanks to us having the timeshares their daughter has no idea of what normal is. Gotta love timesharing!


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## silentg (Aug 16, 2018)

So did you have a vacation booked in Sanibel? Is the resort closed? If you booked thru RCI, they are saying “tough toenails” not giving credit unless you bought travel protection?
Sounds like you have booked some nice stays for your grand daughter!
Silentg


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## rapmarks (Aug 16, 2018)

It was nice meeting you jan, and let us know when you visit the west coast.  We are at exit 123.


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## Jan M. (Aug 16, 2018)

silentg said:


> So did you have a vacation booked in Sanibel? Is the resort closed? If you booked thru RCI, they are saying “tough toenails” not giving credit unless you bought travel protection?
> Sounds like you have booked some nice stays for your grand daughter!
> Silentg



We only decided last Friday on our way back to Ohio from Glacier Canyon in Wisconsin to bring our granddaughter back with us on our flight home on Monday. So I didn't have anything planned ahead of time for Sanibel. On Monday night I found the reservation for Caloosa Cove. They aren't having any problems with the red tide or algae blooms. The resort got hit by Hurricane Irma last Fall so all the units have been redone. I think they might still have some work to do on the outside and maybe the marina too but the pool and beach are fine.

There were also reservations available for the resort in Jupiter and the Plantation Beach Club on Indian River in Stuart but I knew that area is getting hit again this year with the algae bloom as a result of water begin released from Okeechobee. That area has lagoons and inlets and they get hit hard with the algae bloom. My husband's brother and SIL rent a condo in Stuart facing the inlet for February and the first week or two in March from a relative of friends of theirs. The people who own the condo are thinking of selling it and buying somewhere else because they are fed up with not being able to use their place for so much of the summer when their kids are out of school because the smell is so foul. Not to mention it is unhealthy.


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## Duanerice (Aug 17, 2018)

Posted this in a another thread too.  I swam at Ft Myers beach this morning.  I swim at FMB or another close beach every week with a few other people.  We have only missed one week due to the water condition. And no, it wasn't crystal clear but FMB never is.  Didn't smell and no dead fish.  Now, they have been doing extensive clean up so that helps.  Oh and it's not crowded at all so that's a good thing for vacationers.  Bad for business of course.

All the real nasty green sludge you see on TV is mostly in canals, not the gulf.  We are amused because there are people going on TV with gas masks on saying the smell is so terrible.  Maybe it is in some places but not the beach.  Some people like theatrics for TV.

I'm not downplaying it because this is bad for the environment.  Lots and lots of dead fish, turtles, manatees, etc.  It's not pretty and there is no end in sight.  But, I wouldn't cancel my vacation because of it.


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## Deb & Bill (Aug 25, 2018)

Check out visitbeaches.org for the status of Red Tide along the Florida Coasts.

It hasn't been this bad for years.  We've hardly been to the beach at all this summer, mostly just staying in our pool.  We live on Marco Island.


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## rapmarks (Aug 25, 2018)

Free parking right now at fort Myers beach


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## TheTimeTraveler (Aug 25, 2018)

rapmarks said:


> Free parking right now at fort Myers beach





Be sure to wear a gas mask!



.


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## Laurie (Aug 25, 2018)

And now, brown tide:

www.newsweek.com/what-brown-tide-outbreak-red-1090429


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## Talent312 (Aug 26, 2018)

I'm at FMB (South end) now, and the effects of red tide can be seen.
We saw dead fish on the beach every few feet and very few people.
No one was in the water. The front desk said it could last to November.

Fortunately, hanging at the pool pleasant is very pleasant.
We'll also finds some tourist-type things to do. 
.


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## Kozman (Aug 28, 2018)

Currently at Sea Watch on the Beach in Ft. Myers Beach. There is minimal problems on the beach.


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## Panina (Sep 9, 2018)

Update Pinellas county

https://www.wfla.com/weather/red-ti...d-fish-wash-up-on-pinellas-beaches/1428087169


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## mbh (Sep 14, 2018)

https://www.visitbeaches.org/

Above is a link to status of the beaches that is updated daily


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## Laurie (Sep 17, 2018)

Another update Pinellas County:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/envir...across-most-Pinellas-County-beaches_171817626


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## Laurie (Sep 23, 2018)

Here's a video about testing for toxins in the air:

www.facebook.com/ChrisGrisbyWINKNews/videos/320288015440947/


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## silentg (Oct 2, 2018)

Looking good today.Anyone in Fort Myers now?


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## LMD (Oct 5, 2018)

Watching the local Ft Myers news station. Higher concentrations in Lee County, and lower concentrations in Collier County. Winds this weekend supposed to push it offshore a little.  Here is a good link 

http://www.myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/


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## Sugarcubesea (Oct 6, 2018)

My aunt spent the day at Ft Myers today and just texted me the following:
We were just notified the water tested zero! Yay! We’ve walked the beach today and saw no dead fish nor smelled any effects of the red tide. 86 and sunny here and tons of people in the water today!
it’s as beautiful as ever. No worries today either about red tide!

Just wanted to give everyone an update.  She’s at the Lighthouse Tiki Bar


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## LMD (Oct 10, 2018)

LMD said:


> I don't see any threads specifically about this but wanted to make people aware if you have travel plans to SW FL. Its bad from Sarasota all the way down to Naples. Marco not as bad but still dead fish washing up on shore.  The neuro toxins are irritating to the respiratory system and the bacteria levels in the water can cause deadly infections. Its really a sad situation.


http://collier.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2018/10/20181010beachadvisory.html


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## LMD (Oct 10, 2018)

http://collier.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2018/10/20181010beachadvisory.html


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## headoflife (Dec 6, 2018)

Does anyone have an current info on red tide/green algae on Sanibel Island?  I have a week on hold from 12/15.  My daughter has asthma(not severe and rarely needs an inhaler), and if we can't enjoy being on the beach or at the pool, which is near the beach, I will pass.  Thanks for any info!


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## Bwolf (Dec 7, 2018)

headoflife:  All reports are that red tide is not active on Sanibel Island.  When we were there in mid-October, it wasn't.  Those who've visited in November report it wasn't.  Those visiting now or who live on the island report red tide is not active. The Sanibel forums on TripAdvisor are a good source of information.


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## headoflife (Dec 7, 2018)

Bwolf said:


> headoflife:  All reports are that red tide is not active on Sanibel Island.  When we were there in mid-October, it wasn't.  Those who've visited in November report it wasn't.  Those visiting now or who live on the island report red tide is not active. The Sanibel forums on TripAdvisor are a good source of information.



Thank you!  I will check TripAdvisor for the most current info.  I have checked the official sources, and it looked good, but I was hoping for personal input.  It sounds like I may get that there.  If anyone is checking here and has a report from the location, that would be great, too.


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## Sea Six (Dec 8, 2018)

Bwolf said:


> headoflife:  All reports are that red tide is not active on Sanibel Island.  When we were there in mid-October, it wasn't.  Those who've visited in November report it wasn't.  Those visiting now or who live on the island report red tide is not active. The Sanibel forums on TripAdvisor are a good source of information.



This contradicts everything I see on the news at night.  Our TV comes from Ft Myers, and the reporters are right there.  They report the red tide with 3 different color dots on a map.  Yellow is light red tide, orange is medium, and red is heavy.  For the most part, Collier County down by Naples is yellow, lower Lee County is orange, and the stretch from Ft Myers Beach, along Sanibel, and up to the Cape Haze peninsula are all red dots.  As a matter of fact, 5 dolphins washed ashore DEAD last week.  A guy I work with who spends a lot of time on his sail boat told me he developed a bacterial infection which led to pneumonia, caused by breathing the air filled with - you guessed it.  I assure you red tide is alive and well there.  

Plenty of recent stories like this to read:

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/39575053/wildlife-nonprofits-50year-anniversary-marked-by-red-tide


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## headoflife (Dec 8, 2018)

That's awful. I'm not sure what to do now. I'm sorry about the impact on the environment, and the economy of the area, but I'm also not sure I can choose to go there. I had better figure it out before I book airfare. More thoughts?


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## Bwolf (Dec 8, 2018)

I stand by the reports from people on the ground on Sanibel and Captiva.  They are there now, period.  We were there in October and the red tide had abated.  My wife was there in August when it was really bad.

The red tide was bad on both islands for a period of time, but it has abated.  The news report cited in post 77 reads like this: "Since red tide started last October, CROW has seen more than 600 patients".  The vast majority were long before now.  There were also lots of dead fish and other sea life that CROW never got to treat. 

headforlife:  You are better off going to the Sanibel forums on TripAdvisor and getting honest comments from people on the island now, not a news report that covers over a year of time.


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## Sugarcubesea (Dec 8, 2018)

My aunt owns a condo in Port of the Islands in Naples and she just told me she has not had any red tide issues in her area. Hope that helps.


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## Sea Six (Dec 8, 2018)

Sugarcubesea said:


> My aunt owns a condo in Port of the Islands in Naples and she just told me she has not had any red tide issues in her area. Hope that helps.



Port of the Islands is east of Marco and quite a bit inland - not on the beach. It has a Naples address, but is not really close to downtown Naples. There is no red tide there.  We are talking about Sanibel, which is 50 miles northwest of POI.


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## Laurie (Dec 8, 2018)

Bwolf said:


> I stand by the reports from people on the ground on Sanibel and Captiva.  They are there now, period.  We were there in October and the red tide had abated.  My wife was there in August when it was really bad.
> 
> The red tide was bad on both islands for a period of time, but it has abated.



Not quite. We've been here in the area since Nov 30, and it has come and gone. We spent last week at South Seas on Captiva, and for about 3 days it was pretty bad. On those days there was a mist blowing in from offshore, causing my eyes to burn and every time I breathed in I started to cough, so we avoided the beaches on those days. Just walking back to our car from Mucky Duck, I had to cover my nose and hold my breath. Even at the pool areas at South Seas we could feel it. But we couldn't feel it inland, specifically at Ding Darling where we spent a lot of time. One day one of the beaches on Sanibel near the causeway was littered a huge # of dead blue crabs which I assume was related. The links in this thread to Red Tide status showed a bright red dot (high) all last week at Captiva, until the end of the week. Local newspaper articles confirmed presence of red tide. Last 2 days, the winds came from the other direction and it was fine.

Now we're down on Ft Myers Beach and no problems here so far.

So now I know what it feels like at that level, and I'm sure it was much more severe earlier in the year. Glad we didn't cancel the trip though, we still had a wonderful time, especially since we had other things we wanted to do besides hang on the beach.


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## Bwolf (Dec 9, 2018)

Laurie, you do know that red tide can be active at some beaches and not others?  And you mention one specific beach on Captiva.  Sorry though that you had the problem, but it was one beach for a few days.  When it pops up in an isolated fashion like that it is annoying.  When it devastates an entire region like it did when all beaches on Sanibel and Captiva and surrounding areas were affected, including Fort Myers Beach, it is a tragedy.  

Also, you mention you currently are currently experiencing no problems on Fort Myers Beach.


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## Laurie (Dec 9, 2018)

Bwolf said:


> Laurie, you do know that red tide can be active at some beaches and not others?  And you mention one specific beach on Captiva.  Sorry though that you had the problem, but it was one beach for a few days.


Yes, I do understand that. When the air was really bad on Captiva (at the beach where the 2 islands join, all the way up to the point - we did go out in search of a better spot), it was present in the air but much milder on Lighthouse Baach on Sanibel - but that's where all the dead crabs were. As we walked around the point there to the other side, couldn't feel it. As I understand it, the blooms have been offshore so it will depend on how the winds are blowing, and possibly how much moisture the air is carrying.  On the worst day on Captiva, there was heavy mist blowing directly inland, at the beaches droplets of water were visible all day.

I personally wouldn't cancel a trip, as long as there were other reasons to come here besides just beach and pool. But if I had a child with asthma, and my resort were on the beach, and beach + pool were the sole reasons for the trip ... I'd keep checking the maps before springing for the airfare, but the maps do look pretty good at the moment, unlike last week. I just can't adjust for whether this can trigger a more severe asthma attack in a child (or adult), since for me the effects went away when I went inside. And obviously things can change by the day and by the week, in either direction.

I'm writing this sitting on our screened lanai at Ft Myers beach. Breezy day, wind is blowing from the south. No probs.


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## TravelTime (Dec 9, 2018)

Based on this thread, I have canceled any possible trips to Southwest Florida. It does not seem worth it to be guessing if it will enjoyable or not. I am from southeast Florida and have many friends and family in Dade and Broward counties. My father lives in Naples in Collier County. The local Floridians have told me red tide is a problem when the water temperature get above a certain level. I assume this means red tide may be inevitable in the hotter months. This is really bad for the environment and also for real estate values. It seems like the warming of South Florida is happening and it is destructive. My DH and I had been contemplating moving back to Florida but all these environmental issues have us thinking twice.


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## Laurie (Dec 9, 2018)

Latest live update weather report from southern end of Ft Myers Beach: rainy, misty, breezes blowing in from west over the gulf; we went for a walk on the beach, no respiratory problems here.  

A so-called "cold" front is blowing in, only up to the low 60's tomorrow (it's all relative).  Maybe that'll help diminish any lingering red tide out there in the sea.  About 11" of snow today at home and changing over to freezing rain on top of that!


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