There are always cool things we as boaters can experience from the water. Below is a video of an interview of two men who were out on their power boat 35 miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs Florida and came across a whale shark. I have never paddled that far off of our coast into the Gulf of Mexico. Nevertheless, it is great to know that that type of wildlife is alive and well.
Did you know that our Florida House of Representatives is debating on opening our waters to oil drilling between 3 and 10 miles off of Florida’s Gulf coastline? I think this will harm our healthy environment.
I live in a part of Florida, USA where tourism generates the majority of our revenue. People come to enjoy the manatees/seabirds/dolphins/big game fish/and plants. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of improving economics our policy makers are creating policies that are damaging the things tourists are paying to see. It is madding. I think Pope John Paul II said it best that “Modern Society will find no solution to the ecological problem unless it takes a serious look at its lifestyles”. And Pam in Argyll Scotland has reminded me that Rachel Carson wisely said, “man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
I think the pursuit of profit is killing what people yearn to see. – Jeff
Check out these three articles…
“The Florida House of Representatives celebrates Earth Day… by passing a bill allowing off-shore drilling” April 22nd, 2009 by Susan Nilon
“House OKs Florida drilling but bill stalled” Wire reports, Tuesday, 28 April, 2009
“Oil drilling proponent mum on the trade-offs” Herald-Tribune, Sunday, 31 May, 2009, By GLENN COMPTON Guest Columnist about the possibility of drilling for oil ten miles off of our Florida coast.
Liquid Rhythm Adventures' Journal 
Hi Jeff – Just catching up on your posts. Sorry to hear about this (potential) development in your neighbourhood. It seems so completely backward. As you mention, when as a society will we evolve and start addressing lifestyle? Encouraging people to conserve and curtail consumption doesn’t make money, I guess. But are we going to wait until the oceans area dead?
Getting folks out in kayaks to appreciate the amazing nature you have out there is a big part of adding to the ranks of those who care. Here’s hoping that your/their voices are heard and that this doesn’t come to pass. And here’s to many more whale shark sightings (wow!) in years to come.