Red Tides and Stinging Sand

Since my first days as a sea turtle biologist on Little Cumberland Island, I've always prided myself on my ability to meet my goals, no matter what obstacles were in the way. On my first night on the nesting beach long ago, the full moon tides were so high that Nicky, Doug, Brad and I were stuck among the dead trees on the north point of the island. If we couldn't find a way through the trees, we would have to backtrack down four miles of beach, across the island and back up the west beach to finish our patrol.

My friend Nicky and I decided we were creative, intelligent women who could find a way around our dilemma. Since we couldn't drive our ATVs through the stout live oak and pine trees and we couldn't leave the ATVs to be carried away by the still rising tide, we decided to carry them over the scramble of trunks and branches. For those of you who don't know me, I'm 5 foot three inches and a hundred pounds on a heavy day, so this was not a minor task. But, I would not be defeated. As the men in our group looked at us and laughed, our summer motto was conceived: 'No Wimpy Women'.

Ever since, I haven't allowed anything to stand in my way when it comes to sea turtles. Cat 5 hurricanes don't really scare me, though clean up is a mess. I can work with a fever, or a dislocated shoulder or anything else life throws at me. This is why today was so upsetting.

Today, I left the beach. With my stubborn streak and refusal to admit defeat, I threw in the towel. I rode down Santa Rosa beach from Pensacola Beach to the Navarre gate, a total of about ten miles. The rain pierced my skin while the sand-laden wind polished my face with it's abrasive attack. Even the red tide, caused by an overload of the brevetoxin-producing dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, was no match for me. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of fish lay dead along the shore line, just like these:



The brevetoxin, if ingested, can result in Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning. Blowing into my face on the southeast wind as it did, it just made my eyes red, my lips and tongue burn as if I had eaten habaneros, and made me start coughing... I was glad it was raining enough to hide my runny nose. It still didn't whip me. I was on the lookout for my sea turtles and shorebirds.

Then I went to survey the north shore. Every time I turned around, I headed directly into 20 mile an hour winds, made stronger by the speed of my ATV. Normally, that's not such an issue, but when the winds are armed with coarse sand, dinoflagellates and huge raindrops, it's as if someone is sandpapering your eyes while blowing pepper spray up your nose and stabbing you with small nails. It's impossible to see, to breathe, and certainly to drive. I was sure I was going to hit one of the storm berms or one of the random heaps of asphalt still scattered about after Hurricanes Ivan, Dennis and Katrina. I gave up, went to the office and spent the day proofing data. Not much fun, but a necessary task. When I left the office five hours later, my hair, boots and clothes were still wet, and deeply embedded with sand, even though I had worn two rain coats and rain pants... It was not a pretty day on the beach!

Still, I can't believe I gave up!