Sand and Starfish » Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach Oil Spill Update 2011

stephanie — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:30:42 +0000

Well it’s been over a year since the oil spill in the Gulf. I still wonder what the long term affects of it all will be. The fish, the oysters, the shrimp… us. If you were to go to the beach today, you’d see nothing but beautiful water and beautiful sand. No tar balls. No oil sheen. It’s absolutely gorgeous. That’s the happy way to look at it. Then there’s the sad way. What about all those chemicals they dumped in? The ones that mixed with the water. The ones that we couldn’t see. Are they there?I don’t like to think about it. In fact, when I do go to the beach… I don’t think about it. I might for a split second think, “that’s odd… no oil spill workers today,” or I’ll see some birds and think, “glad they survived.” Then I carry on with what I was thinking/doing and we have a beautiful time at the beach.

The oil spill was unbelievable. I do still get teary eyed at times thinking about it. But I’m not a negative person and it’s so hard to only think negatively when the beach is so beautiful and brings such joy and happiness to me, my family, and everyone who visits. Just doesn’t seem right to be so ho hum about it.

Rain on My Parade

stephanie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:30:04 +0000

You know what I look forward to every weekend? gck-1′s naps. These naps are so precious to me because they are the only time when I get to go to the beach to unwind and soak up my vitamin D… alone. Don’t worry about gck-1. B stays home in case she wakes up.

I was really looking forward to my lay out sesh with my ipod, my new seagull friend and the green algae water when I felt little tiny raindrops from up above. When I left the house I thought the clouds were moving away from the water not over the water. I was literally there long enough to take off my tank top, shorts and then get a nice sweat and leave.

I hate when it rains on my parade. Literally.

Green Water

stephanie — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:00:47 +0000

The water’s been a little algae filled lately. Better than oil filled! Gck-1 and I enjoyed splashing in it anyway last night. The clouds were making an absolutely gorgeous skyline and I couldn’t help but race to the beach after dinner to snap some pics.

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While the oil clean up crew is still moving along in their little go-carty looking things… there has still been no oil around. Thank God! We’ve seriously been blessed with not having the oil wash up and ruin the beaches.

Every time I go to the beach, I’m reminded of how lucky I am, we are, to live so closely to the most beautiful beach in the world.

Be still.

Front Beach Road

stephanie — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:00:22 +0000

I apologize for not having many beach shots lately. I used to have my camera attached to my hip but now it seems that a little 2 year old holds that spot!

I did have it in the car with me on the way to Target though…

snapped this beauty.

I love it here.

I love our sunsets.

I love our beach.

And speaking of Target…

It wasn’t until I actually planted some garlic in my garden that I realized Target and the Pier Park Mall and some of our medians are covered in this delicious treat! Do you think they’d get mad if I dug a little up? ;) And I’ve also spotted some rosemary as well! And I thought I’d never like a mall or shopping again!

Panama City Beach is Gorgeous

stephanie — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:00:14 +0000

B and I often tell each other, “We live at the beach.” Sounds weird ’cause it’s not like we don’t know that we live at the beach, it’s just that we love reminding each other that we do. We love it here. We love the sounds of the waves. We love the fact that we work 3 blocks from the beach and live 3 blocks from the beach. We love that we can smell the salt in the air. We love it here.

We’ve been waiting for the rain to come from Tropical Storm Bonnie. Still hasn’t come yet! Always clouds in the sky but no rain. I even went to the beach yesterday with the clouds up above and still came home with a nice red nose! The beach is relaxing, clouds in the sky or not.

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I’ve heard on the news lately that the oil clean up crews have been packed up and moved further west to help with the places that have been really hit hard like Pensacola. It was hard to think that they were actually gone until I drove down Front Beach Road and didn’t see a single one of them. Or their big coach busses. Or their huge fenced in headquarters. They really are gone!

I’m so thankful that we’ve been lucky so far with the oil not reaching us.

The water might have a little seaweed in it but that’s better than oil! I once read a lady complaining about all the June Grass that had washed up on the shore and was mad about how no one was cleaning it up. Lady, the tide washed it away just like it brought it in. There is no need for a large vehicle to come parading down the beach with a ginormous rake behind it. It’s only seaweed. The beach is still just as beautiful with it there than it is without it. Just be happy there isn’t any oil!