Tag: Gulf of Mexico

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Gulf oil spill – learning how to help

© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
http://MyMobileAdventures.com

Last Friday, I drove out past Sanibel Island and crossed Blind Pass over to Captiva Island. At the end of Captiva, there’s a resort called South Seas, which has conference facilities. I was there to get some safety training for beach cleanup volunteers – want to be prepared in case the Gulf oil spill makes its way to the Lee Island Coast of Florida. The drive looks short-ish on the map, but is made longer by the 35 mile per hour speed limit (maximum) that’s enforced on both islands. Pretty scenery is the saving grace – I wasn’t suffering at all!

The course was four hours long and it was taught by a trainer from the Ostego Bay Oil Spill Co-Op and a trainer from OSHA – Occupational Safety & Health Administration. There were several different segments that explained the sensitivity of the Gulf coast, especially in the estuaries, the types of hazards that can be encountered in the environment that’s being cleaned, protective gear worn by cleanup workers, and the procedures they follow to maximize safety and minimize damage to people, wildlife, the environment and property.

As conference facilities go – and I’ve been in a lot of them – South Seas has a lot going for it. First, location – a sub-tropical island really cannot be beat. The grounds are nicely landscaped with tropical flowering shrubs and swaying palms. The conference facilities are not all worn out and tired-looking. They are clearly well-maintained. The air conditioning in the conference center was neither too strong nor too weak – just right for people wearing shorts and tank tops. And the final thing to recommend South Seas – REAL iced tea was served, and there were candy jars on every table filled with “Made In The USA” mints.

Click the photos to see if a larger version is available in Flickr
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Portrait of a militant sheller

© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
http://MyMobileAdventures.com

How can I tell this is a militant sheller? Well, for one thing, he’s carrying “the claw”, an implement of liberation and retrieval which exists in the toolkit of most serious seashell seekers.

Don’t bother googling for “the claw” – the actual name is The Treasure Scoop. Whatever you call it, it’s a handy device. You can use it to dig or else to fish something out of the water without having to perform the “Sanibel Stoop”.

The other reason I can tell this is a militant sheller is that I actually know him. Personally, even! Some of you reading this may even recognize him. How much trouble do we think I’m in for posting this? Personally, I think it’s a lovely shot and he’s going to like it. Well, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!