TG:
Unfortunately, I would agree with the original post that said that tourists should be somehow notified about Red Tide. If not Chamber of Commerce, than hotels by the time of booking. I am in the pretty bad situation now , when reservation to Siesta key hotel is done along with plane tickets. My son has some respiratory problem and I will not risk coming to the area where he can have problem. My bad luck, I forgot to check the information, and at the time of reservation nobody suggested, of course, that there is red tide for weeks already. In November of 2003 I lost money by canceling reservation in Sundial Beach Resort. Then I asked Sales Person directly if there is a problem with red tides. The answer was - no problem at all. We changed destination to East Coast. nevertheless. Our friend, young healthy man was coughing for couple of months after being at Sanibel at the time of red tide.
I understand that locals are not in the best situation , but it is the area where you live . Maybe it would be fair to notify vacationers about such problem at the time of booking. Now, I am trying to find alternative. I will lose money paid for reservation and it is hard to find something comparable in short time on East Coast.
Sorry, but it is tough, we were planning this vacation for months , finally I found something suitable , now I have to cancel.

Whoa, wait a minute! Why "must" you cancel? I hope you realize that unless you are directly (within 1/4 miles let's say) of actual red tide, there is really absolutely no effect at all. And a good strong offshore breeze for about two days will push the tide out to sea.

This is the very first time I've EVER heard of anyone having lasting effects from red tide. It's only been reported (that I've ever heard) as having an effect while in direct contact with the red tide. Symptoms disappear within 24 hours after exposure. Unless you are asthmatic or suffer from some respiratory illness, I think you are way over-reacting, LI8. You do realize that even if your hotel beach has a red tide outbreak, you can walk or drive maybe a mile north or south and find unaffected areas, right?

Just as a hotel would never say "hey your reservation is in the middle of hurricane season, do you want to reconsider?", they'll never tell you "hey there may or may not be a red tide bloom while you're here"...

Anyone who has ever sat on the beach during or after red tide will understand about cancelling. RT is completly noxious, irritating and far-reaching. People in neighborhoods miles from the beaches report sneezing, itching, congestion during the weeks RT is present, and for two or more weeks afterward. Enough of the boosterism, out with the truth. Heed Tandoori. Best to stay away during periods of RT. By the way, the west coast is thankfully free of that pest.

You know , I am not overreacting . BTW , hurricane season is known by everybody. But , red tide is not known , at least here in NY area. I spoke to my neighbor yesterday.She is moving to Florida East Coast in a month and was graduated from Universty of Miami. I asked her about red tide. She's never heard about it. Just to compare... knowledge about hurricane and red tide.
I was doing my research , and local newspaper has information that suggest people stay inside their houses , because of that smell. My understanding - the issue is not a smell, but toxins that irritate the respiratory system.
I do not want to sound too cautious but when I scared that my 3 year old could possibly have a health problem, I would rather cancel , than go. Also , now it looks like a lottery, it could be bad, it could be not, but I have just one week of vacation and wish to spend it on the beach not somewhere 1/4 miles from it. The hotel I rented is right on the beach, by the way

sorry , if I sound too pessimistic.

To set the record straight, RED TIDE is an east coast AND west coast phenomenon. Sorry but stop that smiling, smiling. In fact, it is a world-wide problem. And it can be off-shore but not have any affects along the shoreline.

No one will be able to tell you anything. YOu will have to show up to find out: 1) if there is red tide onshore where you're booked, and 2) if it will be a problem for you in particular. There is no red tide litmus test. And it can be not here one day, and here the next.

FYI, there is NO problem with red tide in the Tampa/St. Pete area at all RIGHT NOW. So ya'll come. But if you want a guarantee then good luck. The only thing I can tell you is that I've lived in Florida for 40 years and have never had any problems with red tide, either with it affecting my plans or trip to the beach, or with it affecting my health. And I happen to have allergies. So do what you want, there is nothing to protect you from your fears. And you will not know a thing unless you show up and find out. And if you show up and there is a problem then I would work it out with the hotel.

Relatives in the St. Petersburg Beach area complained last September when the tide swept though. Kept them off the beach for two weeks they said. Lots of coughing and scratchy throats. We do not have that in southern Calif. where we work.

LI8, when is your trip?
Here is an update for the Sarasota area, unfortunately it's dated March 18th, I imagine they'll update this Friday as well...however it does report info for exact areas.

http://www.floridamarine.org/feature...e.asp?id=12373

I understand how you feel, and you're right, it's much rarer than hurricanes. Which is why I don't want you to incur the costs of cancelling your trip without being pretty certain of what you'll find. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd recommend waiting until about three days before you travel (if possible) before cancelling. It is that fickle, could be gone overnight...I've lived at the beach for over 20 years, and there have been less than ten times when red tide has occurred, and it's usually NOT this time of year...best of luck to you!

U can get daily red tide updates @
www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us . This is the Mote Marine Lab located in Sarasota. Sorry, it says red tide still present, though patchy.

suggest you call someone knowledgable down there and find out. Doubt anybody can cancel a vacation a day beforehand.

Maybe someone can answer a few questions about red tide for me. Does it affect people randomly, or does it seem to affect people with other allergies more? If I have seasonal allergies (hay fever), for instance, am I more likely to be affected, or does it affect everyone?

How long does a bloom usually last? day, weeks, no way to tell?

When people talk about dead fish on the beach, are we talking a few here and there, or by the wheelbarrow full? Or does it depend on the length of the bloom?

And finally (really stupid question coming) is anything actually red? Can you see red tide, or just feel its effects?

Sorry for my ignorance. Thanks

Buttercup, officially the answer would be that those "with respiratory problems" definitely are more affected. However my husband always notices it before I do (a tickle in the back of his throat before he walks over the dune onto the beach) and yet I am the "nose" in the family and do get hay fever. He does not.

No way to tell how long a bloom will last. Sometimes they are large (miles)and float outwards to sea so that you don't notice them, think they're gone. A stiff wind for a day can bring it back onshore.

After a week there will definitely be "some" dead fish on the beach. I have only seen "wheelbarrows full" once in 20 years on Treasure Island, and it was more the strength/saturation than the length of time.

It looks vaguely red if it's intense concentration. Usually you cannot tell at all by looking, only by smell and that tickle in your throat.

LMF would you agree?

Here's a link about bad outbreaks in Maine:
http://www.growfish.com.au/content.asp?contentid=806

Here's another about outbreaks in Africa:
http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/redtides/

L18,
Based on your concerns, and desire to have a carefree and fun vacation, I would cancel for SW FL and move your vacation to a different location. This is a day to day event, as far as effects on those on the coast. I've lived here (Sarasota County) for 16 yrs. and this has been a long lasting and bothersome bloom.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not that big a deal, but for someone counting on a week of fun it really is on again off again with the red tide this year.

Strange , my last message has dissapeared, or maybe I did not post it.
Thank you all :
I am really trying to find a nice spot on East Coast week of 4/11 instead of Siesta Key. If somebody can suggest something nice and not expensive for a family I would greatly appreciate it.
I do not want sound alarmed , but one week it is just one short week. I live close to New Jersey Shore. If it is someting weather wise of some other consern I just change plans. If I fly from NJ to Tampa for a week of vacation it is much diffirent.

We have red tide on a somewhat regular basis in New England. Although it affects seafood sales, especially shellfish, I don't remember it being a big deal. Everyone just goes to a different beach. I have never heard of people getting sick on the beach and certainly not away from the beach. Dead fish can occur from a variety of causes. IMHO greenheads are a much bigger problem but I would never cancel a vacation because of either. The job of the Chamber of Commerce is to promote the area. If the city, county, or state wants to post a warning - fine. That is not the province of the Chamber.

Everyone has given as much information as exists on red tide. It's a naturally occuring algae bloom caused by excessive nutrients in water. So far, it has been impossible to predict the blooms. They do observe satellite photos I believe with heat screening to try to discern where it might possibly occur. Most often it does not come on shore.

Increased development is causing a change in environment and climate all over the world. LMF

The bloom has really hit Longboat Key this week and, unfortunately, it's Easter week. I've never had much problem with the Red Tide and for some reason I am this year.

Yes, there is a reddish cast to the water as our gulf is normally a beautiful bluish green shade. And yes, we also have a number of dead fish coming ashore. Look for other activities and other locations to walk on the beach. Bradenton's Coquina Beach is a mere couple miles north of us and has no signs of the tide.

And please Have a great vacation.

I've experienced red twice while on vacation in the Sanibel area. The first time I experienced it was "supposedly" the worst case of red tide ever on Sanibel. I can honestly say that I had never seen anything like it, and I hope I never do again. It was absolutely sad and disgusting. I don't have any respiratory problems, but, boy, did I find it hard to breath. Not to mention that the amount of dead sea life was something I could never imagine. Our beach vacation became a pool vacation, and lucky for us we were staying just over the causeway on the mainland. It was very disappointing. But, again, it was considered the worse case...and we looked into many other beaches in the area and they all had the same story!

The 2nd time we experienced red tide, it was at the end of the outbreak. The beaches at the southern end of the island (lighthouse beach) were still recovering; however, a drive down to SanCap beach provided us with a lovely, red tide-free day in the beautiful water.

I think the well meaning residents of Florida find it to be an annual nuisance and it probably doesn't affect them they same way it would a tourist. I can assure you that if you traveled to Buffalo during the winter and complained about it, I would wonder what the big deal was!

last friday's (3/25) update on a red tide monitoring site said that red tide was still "not present" in Naples. Just FYI, though if anyone can confirm, that would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!

As of my beach walk this morning in Naples -- there is NO sign of red tide, rishi.