Red Tide near Siesta Key?
 

Has anyone experienced "red tide" in Siesta Key recently? We have a condo reserved for June and have never been there during red tide, just wondering what to expect! Thanks for any info or tips.

<b>http://www.mote.org/~mhenry/rtupdate.phtml</b>

Yes, we do have red tide this week end. But not too too bad. What condo are you staying in?

We are staying at Midnight cove, week of June 11, and our kids LOVE the beach so we're really hoping the red tide is not a problem...too late to cancel now though! Thanks for the info.

My husband was fishing at the north end of Casey Key last night, which you can throw a stone to Siesta Key from. He said it was not bad at all. Hopefully it will get better and not worse for your vacation. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Suppers you should be fine by June 11th, I too will keep my fingers crossed, but really it is not real bad right now. Sorry, freak of nature we cannot control--altho Mote is working on it

Egads, Red Tide?!!!

We too are arriving in Siesta Key on June 11 [that is if tropical storm Arlene permits.] So, let me see now... Red Tide... Arlene... what else can go wrong? We haven't had a vacation in 3 years and I find myself glued to the weather channel with so much to do. They are reporting Floridians stocking up on flashlights, batteries, bottled water, etc. Will the supermarket shelves be bare when we get there? We are flying. Should we bring cautionary items with us? Any info would be helpful. Hey, it pays to have a sense of humor when dealing with Mother Nature! Perhaps we should think of this as an adventure rather than a vacation. Darn, I didn't watch the last Survivors episodes!

Siesta Linda, are you reading this? Could she be gone to the supermarket getting batteries, flashlights and bottled water?!!! All kidding aside, updating and any info would be appreciated.

I live on Siesta and trust me, live is very normal around here. You won't even know there is a storm out in the Gulf. The store shelves are fully stocked and you will be able to buy batteries for your cameras and whatever else.

I'm not much of a beach person, but I live about a 1/2 a block away and I have not noticed any discomfort from red tide. I'm usually very sensitive to it.

So, it looks good for your vacation on our little paradise.

Don't worry, be happy! :-D

I remember you all talking about red tide back in March. Has the red tide lasted this long? Or did it go away in March and now it's back?

Hey Seagull--AA is right life is pretty normal around here. However, it is cloudy and likely will rain today and probably tomorrow too--sorry!! Red Tide is pretty much gone, Arlene is way out in the Gulf and hopefully will stay there.

Enjoy your vacation---even in the rain there is always the Daquiri Deck- after one drink you will not care about the rain--lol.

Like your sense of humour

Thanks to all who answered my rant. It's good to know that the area is not in a state of panic, although it would have been justified because of last year's hurricane.

I have a particular interest in FL. My parents lived in Vero Beach in the 70's and it was beautiful everytime I visited. They've passed on and are buried there. In fact, I looked up their house on the Indian River County site and a picture of their old house popped up. I hear Vero has changed a lot. Needless to say, the photo kind of left a lump in my throat. Their back yard was full of orange, lime and grapefruit trees. Must be easy to grow those trees in that vicinity. Indian River fruit is extra delicious.

Five years ago we vacationed in Ft. Walton/Destin and it was beautiful. The only thing I disliked were the stingrays that traveled in herds of up to 100. They would move up and down the beach all day, feeding, I guess. I was amazed at the people standing right next to the herds in the water. Not me! Those stings can ruin a vacation.

Hey, you Siesta Key folks... a friend told me about a nice little place to eat that the locals go to. I think she said Captain Kirks. When you go over the bridge to Siesta, she said turn left and go up a little ways and it is in a strip mall on the left. It was described as a cafe restaurant, small, but has reasonable and great food. If anyone can verify that it would be great.

Got to run errands and pack for tomorrow's flight. If you should see a woman and her daughter and grandsons running around Siesta laughing and having a good time, odds are it will be us. Don't call the police... we're just happy folks and make our own fun... the funnier and light hearted, the better!

It's Captain Curt's, and yes it is left on Midnight Pass Road if you are coming over the south bridge. It is a popular place.

Curt's is located in a strip mall by the south bridge. The more happening and lively commercial strip is in the Siesta Village. It's about 2.5 miles north/west of the south bridge. Many restaurants, shops, bars.....

It is raining now and it looks like it will be for some time. It will probably rain tomorrow, but once the storm goes north it should be sunny and clear for the rest of the week.

Welcome to our little paradise!

Have a wonderful stay!

Thank you all. I am much more optimisic now. Thanks for the verification on Captain Curt's.

The tide hasn't really been a problem up St. Pete way. And I've not heard too many complaints anywhere. It's popping up now up north -- Maine!

The hurricane supplies are on sale here and the taxes have been lifted by the state of FL for certain hurricane supplies as an incentive for people to buy them and be prepared. But just a lot of rain now. And I am hoping it will stay that way.

My family is coming for the week of the 18th how is the &quot;Red Tide &quot; as of today. I'm kinda leary of coming?

Any input would help

i was in sarasota/venice this weekend and red tide is in full force. we hungout at the poolw hich is fine becaue i live in fll so i dont care if i get to the beach or not..i hope it clears up because there were tons of dead fish on the beach acoording to the vews reports i saw.

Oh no, a friend of mine who lives in Tampa just called me. She let me know about the red tide. I will be arriving in Siesta Key on July 1st, I just called my hotel and they confirmed that dead fish are being picked up off the beach everyday. Is it really that bad?!! Mote Marine says it's moving slowly northward, does anyone think it will be gone soon? SiestaLinda, thanks for the Daquiri Deck comment, I love that place.

Gool luck to everyone going the the gulf coast. My family and I backed out. We are traveling with four kids and three of them have pretty bad allergies. We were supposed to be going to Indian Shores Beach on July 2.

It's here. I started to notice a light cough since yesterday.

The good news is that you still have 10 days.

Hopefully it will be gone by then, and I'm being selfish here only because I'm home till the 19th of July so I'm stuck. :-D

Sigh. Heading your way, AAFF, tomorrow for 5 days moving my mother from one retirement facility to another. Had hoped to have a couple of walks @ S. Lido, but not if things are still bad. Will probably be busy hooking up computer, phone, Lifeline, etc. anyway. But I always feel gypped when I get to S'sota and can't swim.

Hey everyone! I don't know if I can still shed light on Red Tide. All I can tell you is we had reservations at the Crystal Sands on Crescent Beach, Siesta Key from June 11 to June 18. I was also worried before going there, but the decision had already been made. In addition, Tropical Storm Arlene was threatening the Gulf, but passed by without any trouble before we arrived.

The first day, I had a little coughing [like pepper in my throat] but it subsided within 1/2 hour. From the 12th to the 18th, there was no coughing at all. We had great weather and a wonderful vacation. Yes, there were a few dead fish on the beach, but the beach was raked every morning by motorized machinery before most people arrived for the day. The beach raker made periodic checks up and down the beach during the day. Some beach-goers pointed out a couple of dead fish to the driver and he picked them up. And yes, dead fish smell can be very offensive, so you could hope the raker comes along, move away from the dead creature, or carry some paper towels and pick the carcass up yourself and move it elsewhere and bury it.

I figured that the condo owner might not cheerfully refund my sizeable deposit and our airline reservations were made through Travelocity back in Feb., and the tickets were non-refundable [for 4 passengers.]

Within 2 days, the ocean cleared up from Arlene and took on its familiar Caribbean colors.

A 24 hr. Fla. news station showed many parts of the Gulf on a daily basis and many dead fish were beached in some areas, but more numerous in some canals. They cited Treasure Island as being troublesome.

I think any reputable condo association or hotel would insist that the beaches be cleaned up. That was our experience. And after all... no one can out-guess Mother Nature, no matter where you intend to spend your vacation. We have spent a few vacations when Mother Nature refused to smile on us. She left us cooped up in a hotel with kids, while it rained from morning to night the entire 7 days. Nice going, Mother Nature!

Regardless of our fears, we went and had a good time. I was glad we stuck with the arrangements.

Seagull, did you go in the water with the dead fish and the very-gross dead eels floating around you? There's way too many of them here at Indian Shores, since we arrived Saturday. We are enjoying walking on the beach but no way will I go in the water. My DH has not, either. Every day we hope for vast improvement but no luck yet! BUT we're still having a good time, and are glad we came. We went to Caladesi Island yesterday, and the ocean &amp; sand were gorgeous and fun there (no RT at all.) Glad you had a wonderful vacation! :-)

Hey bonniebroad, I believe we discussed Indian Shores last week before you left. We have cancelled our trip due to the red tide. We have decided to go to Myrtle Beach instead. I can't imagine taking four kids to the beach and not getting in the water. I hope it gets better for you.

Well, we braved the red tide in Siesta Key and had a perfectly wonderful vacation! Our condo was beautiful (Midnight Cove) with a view of the beach and condo pool, plus lots of amenities in the condo itself. The red tide was a nuissance, but was not as bad as feared. A few days we had coughing, and you could hear everyone on the beach coughing or sneezing, but it didn't keep people away or out of the water. By mid-week (around June 15-16) the water was crystal clear and warm, but there were plenty of dead fish on the beach. We just stayed away from them and warned our kids not to touch, though the variety of fish affected was impressive and rather sad. We saw dead puffer fish (HUGE ones!), rays, eels, etc. But, we also saw live sea-horses and many dolphins! The dead fish were worse on the Intercoastal waterway--we rented a motorboat and there were lots of dead floaters--at least at the beach you didn't see them in the water too much.
All in all, a great vacation, a beautiful spot to visit, and still the softest coolest sand I've ever felt! Thanks to all who responded, and if you have a vacation coming up, don't give up, you will still have fun if the wind is right!

Bonniebroad:

We did not see dead fish in the ocean, just a few on the beach. We swam and the kids dove for sand dollars and the Gulf became as clear as a bell.

Besides ruining sea life, Red Tide can ruin a vacation. The strange thing is that conditions can change day by day. We were in Siesta from June 11 to the 18th. and possibly we hit it lucky. We were also on Midnight Pass Rd. at the Crystal Sands. I am happy we stuck with it.

In the 70's parts of the eastern fla. coast had Red Tide. It was so bad, no one could get within a mile of the beaches.

I was just in Sarasota this weekend and did not ever have time to go to Siesta Key. All the way home I was upset about not going until I have been reading these reports of Red Tide. Now, I don't feel so bad about missing one of my favorite beaches. I wish you all the best and hope it clears up for all of your vacations.

We are headed down to Lido Key Wed/ June 29th - July 6th. Can anyone shed some light as to the conditions of the red tide there? I have heard that there were dead puffer fish on the beach but not sure if this is the start or the tail end of this bout of Red Tide. It sounded like a few fish. I am traveling with small children and want to be prepared.

We have been to Lido for many years now and I can not remember this many bouts of red tide in one year. I am hoping that this is a scatter of fish brought in by this last storm. Please post any new info or tips prior to our trip.

Hello I am from Illinois and for the last 4 years we have been going to Seista Key. It truly is a wonderful place WHEN THE RED TIDE IS NOT THERE.... the first time we ever went the stench was awful and there was huge tractors cleaning up mounds of dead fish. We were staying a week only and by the end of the week we were finally able to stand the smell without holding our noses. It seems (not to insult tho) that residents tend to say &quot;it's not too bad&quot; but IT CAN BE... we had resv for July 9th and cancelled them we are going to Maimi instead... Why pay inflated prices when you REALLY cant enjoy the beach. After all isnt that why you are going???

As a resident--I have to clarify the issue of red tide one more time. Yes you can ask me on Monday if the red tide is bad--I could say &quot;no&quot; and then on Tuesday it is horrible. We are &quot;NOT&quot; trying to mislead you. We truly truly do not know. I could call you on a Monday and say how is the weather you could say great--and on Tuesday you have a blizzard---note the freaky snowstorms this year in the spring.

So once again, not being misleading, just truly do not know

I'll be arriving in Siesta Key on July 2 for a 'beach week' with the kids. If the red tide is still bad, how far north or south would I need to go to find a beach without red tide? Any recomendations for good spot?

Thank you!

We have reservations for Longboat Key starting July 2 and have also been following the Red Tide conditions. The website to get the conditions for the gulf coast is FloridaMarine.org. The next update will be posted on Friday, 7/1 in the afternoon. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that it goes away in a hurry!

Cascole, on this evening's news (in St. Pete on 6-30-05), they said the red tide extends from northern Pinellas County down to Sarasota, but don't know if it is bad on every single beach in all areas. I do know that the past couple days things have been smelling fishy in my neighborhood, I am very close to the water (southern Pinellas County, but on Tampa Bay), but don't know if that's what the smell is or not ... If you are coming down, be ready for some very hot and humid weather, and the usual afternoon thunderstorms. Thank God for air conditioning because it's like a sauna out there!!!

SiestaLinda, do you want to meet my wife and I on the Daquiri Deck? Sounds like we enjoy it equally. Your comments seem to comply with the owners of the hotel we are staying at. My understanding of this whole red tide thing is this ... some days are good, some days are bad. To everyone concerned about the red tide, travel to Englewood beach on a day that is bad, it's just about 20 minutes south of Sarasota. My friends in the Tampa/Sarasota area say there is no red tide down there. Good luck to everyone, I'll also be arriving in Siesta Key on the 2nd. Hope we are all happy :)

Thank you all for your input &amp; the advice about a good beach to head to if we should encounter a 'bad' day on Siesta Key! I can't wait for that sauna - I'm one of those strange people that loves humidity. Thanks again &amp; I'm sure we'll enjoy ourselves regardless!

TTT to catch up with more recent thread.

My family and I are headed to St.Pete Beach tonight. I have tried keeping up with red tide but finally decided not to worry about it! We are all excited about a very relaxing 7 days! It's been a tough week getting ready for this long trip(leaving from Knoxville TN) but oh my how it will be so worth it! Good Luck to all those headed down that way and enjoy your vacation!