Sunday, September 5, 2010

Sanibel Days Aren't Always Perfect

Today was in the lower 90's and partly cloudy.  I don't have much to share today.  We went for a drive around the island and then out to Captiva.  There were big fluffy clouds around, and a few darker clouds that went right on past us.  There were some people fishing at Blind Pass as we crossed the bridge going onto Captiva Island.



On the Gulf side, I saw some sun worshipers and shellers as we crossed the bridge on the way back to Sanibel.



We drove out to the Sanibel Causeway to see how crowded it was, since it is Labor Day weekend.




My photos don't really show how many cars and people were there.  Remember all those new picnic tables?  They were all full and a lot more tables that people brought with them, along with tents for shade.












I saw some cute little sailboats with bright colored sails.  I had never seen these kind before.  There were 4 or 5 of them.




Now for the upsetting part of the day.....


A man drowned off Lighthouse Beach, today in the early afternoon.  He was pulled from the water by Sanibel Fire and Rescue with the help of several bystanders.   It was believed that he had been floating in the water for at least 20 minutes.  There had been reports of rip currents in the area, but it isn't known if that could have been the cause.  The man was possibly in his 60's


Just a couple of weeks ago a 14 year old boy, had been swimming with his family and friends, before strong currents pulled him under. He was rescued from the water near the B span of the Sanibel Causeway, but later died at the hospital.

Remember how quickly accidents can happen, no matter how well you swim.  It's best to wear a life jacket when you are out in open water.  Don't depend on inflatable toys to keep your children safe, they can still go under water and possibly drown.  Never swim alone.  Keep an eye on everyone in your group, make sure you know where they are at all times.  Don't loose sight of your children; it only takes 20 seconds for a child to drown and 60 seconds for an adult.  We all think these things could ever happen to us, but they do.  There have been over 200 reports of near drownings in Florida, just Saturday alone.  I know we all probably think we know the rules of safety that apply to swimming.  But I really didn't know that much about rip currents.  We should all take time to read ocean safety tips from NOAA, if only to refresh our memory.  Be safe.

7 comments:

Don said...

How sad.

I have seen the currents off of the point near the lighthouse, and over by the fishing pier, and it is amazing how strong they are. Sometimes the water looks like it could be a river it is moving so fast.

Dave said...

A timely reminder Tootie. Lest we forget (about drowning). Sad about the drownings. I liked your photos. Specially the first cloud one. - Dave

gpc said...

Sad. There is always a rip tide there by the lighthouse. It's posted, and you can usually even see it, but people ignore the danger too much of the time. And the ocean currents are so much more unsettled this time of year. I hope your readers heed your warnings! (and now you have me wanting an egg mcmuffin again!)

Drawn to The Sea said...

So sad about the drowning... currents can take even a strong swimmer. On a happier note, how nice that you have the warmth & fluffy clouds... we're enjoying them here, too.

NanaDiana said...

Good Morning & Happy Labor Day!

I think people forget what a powerful weapon the ocean can be...and it can change in the blink of an eye,

The cloud photos are awesome! Diana

Heaven's Walk said...

Hey Tootie - how very sad. It breaks my heart to hear about the loss of two lives in one summer on my beloved Sanibel. My prayers go up for those families.

The clouds on Sanibel always look like something right out a painting. So very beautiful!

xoxo laurie@heavens-walk

Leo said...

How sad about the drownings. I went for swim in the ocean today and the current was so strong - it was like a workout. You can tire very easily if you are not careful. I feel for their families.