How Has the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Affected Popular Beach Cities?

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been prevalent in the news all summer long. Residents might wonder how this catastrophe, also referred to as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, is affecting their favorite vacation spots. Since Sanibel Island is obviously a beach city and part wildlife refuge, this is surely one of the most important destinations in southern Florida.

What affect has the oil spill had on Sanibel? Royal Shell Vacations, which is Sanibel Island, Florida and Captiva Island’s premiere vacation rental firm, recently reported that there is no oil evident anywhere near the beaches of the island. As a precaution the company announced a beach watch to assure residents and visitors that the beaches would continue to be oil free throughout the summer. In fact, the company is so dedicated to resident satisfaction that it is offering a special refund policy on its vacations if any oil does wash up onto the beaches.

Sanibel Island hotels and Island restaurants are still operating normally, as are Sanibel events in the area. What about the reports of “dark-colored clumps of algae?” This is not actually related to the oil spill. Beachgoers who have noticed these clumps are actually filamentous blue green algae broken off from submerged algal mats. The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation stated that these clumps are not related to oil spills, nor are they harmful to the environment. These algal mats are often found in marine and freshwater conditions. These mats’ suggested place of origin is the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River or even beyond. Read the rest of this entry »