The passing of longtime Beach resident AJ Bassett this week is another loss for our island. AJ was one of the few residents still alive who were on the island in the 1940s. When her newly widowed mother, Mildred, packed up her three children (AJ, Connie, and Frandy) and her mother and drove from Philadelphia […]
Another Loss for Fort Myers Beach: RIP AJ Bassett Read More »
For most of my life, Sargassum has been an elusive natural occurrence known by anglers as a “Weed Line.” These patches of Sargassum float offshore in the Atlantic providing food and shelter for bait fish as well as fish that live in the pelagic zone of the ocean which is neither close to the bottom
COVID, Ian, Red Tide, and now a Giant Blob of Seaweed: How much more can we take? Read More »
For the past few weeks, volunteers have been busy painting street signs to help people navigate on the island. Very few of the “Approved” signs survived the storm, so this was a great way for people to help out with the rebuilding of FMB. Unfortunately, some controversary has arisen about these signs since they are not “up to code.” I thought this might be a good time to look back about seventy years when the last sign controversary rocked the Beach.
Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign: A Short Lesson in Sign History on FMB Read More »
Recently, the smell of dead fish has been a common occurrence along the Gulf coast. The culprit is red tide, a phenomenon caused by the proliferation of microscopic algae in the waters. Red tides are not a new problem as they were first recorded in the 16th century when Spanish explorers heard stories about the
Red Tide: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Read More »
“Mobile homes, boats, washing machines, parts of roofs and walls and dining room sets were scattered through miles of mangrove jungles lining Estero Bay. Some residents who built their homes on the ground level saw water levels as high as five feet on their living room walls. In some spots along the bay, mangled boats
Tale of Two Storms: Ian and Donna Read More »