Hands Across the Sand

Project 15 - Day 106

This past Saturday, June 26th, a world wide protest against off-shore drilling was staged on the world's beaches. If I have my facts correct individuals were to line beaches world-wide with hands joined for 15 minutes beginning at noon EST. Our little island was part of the international event.

We didn't participate. It's not that we disagreed with the message of the event. It's just that we didn't know anything about it. It seems that when we have house guests we forget to tune in to the news and keep abreast of current events. We did watch the U.S. soccer team go down in flames Saturday afternoon, but only because we were reminded to watch the game by a friendly waiter. He was from Mexico and very excited about the World Cup. He didn't sound or look Mexican, more like Russian or Slovakian. But he said he was from Mexico and I didn't argue with him.

Chris and Wes wanted to play around a golf on Saturday afternoon but we couldn't let them play 18 holes on an empty stomach. We had to eat first. We decided to visit one of our favorite little beach front bistros and low and behold when we walked in this is what we saw (in addition to the Mexican waiter).

There must have been 50 strong lining the beach, hand in hand facing the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Our beach is currently oil free. The water clean and clear. But we have no guarantee that the current oil spill will stay away from our shores. Besides if this one misses us the chances are good that the next one won't. The cause was indeed a worthy one.

I happened to have my camera with me and quickly snapped a few photos before the group disbursed...peacefully I might add. It is after all Marco Island, things don't tend to get out of hand around here. There was a man once who painted purple polka dots on his house because the city wouldn't allow him to have artificial turf for his yard. But that's about as rowdy and out of control as things get on our little slice of paradise.

That is until oil starts washing up on our beach.