I’m here for my annual visit since we moved away.  The beaches are still beautiful, and the air is still salty and humid, and the Gulf water is still clear.  No oil here, and praise God for that. 

Our beaches in AL, MS and LA are having oil or tar balls making regular visits. 

I don’t think anyone really knows what will eventually happen.  Will the oil get caught in the loop current and pass by FL or get blown onto the west coast?  Will FL get tar balls (other than the ones that landed somehow in the lower Keys)?  I heard one news report today that a worse-case scenario would be that the oil will remain uncapped until August.  They want to build a new platform next to the old collapsed one.  Who knows what will happen, when. 

Meanwhile, don’t cancel your vacation to any Gulf Coast beach.  Alabama beaches are open.  Go visit.  Learn about the nature there and how fragile it is.  Teach your children about disasters and how people work to clean-up, solve problems, help others.  Teach them about conservation, wetlands, being stewards of our  natural resources.  Learn about oil drilling…BOTH the pros AND the cons, please.  FL beaches are open.  In MS, Grand Isle is the only beach I have heard of that’s closed but always call and check first.   But do not cancel that vacation either; there are other places nearby to visit and your hotel/condo stay will keep people employed.

Support our economy here along the Gulf Coast.  Meanwhile, I will enjoy my vacation on Lido Key and when I get back to AL, I’ll do what I can to help once more. 

Remember: always clean up your trash when you leave the beach…cigarette butts included.