On our last full day on Longboat Key, I am pleased to report that signs of recovery in Sarasota Bay are increasing. Following the devastating red tide last summer, the Bay ecosystem is slowly returning to normal and, over the past two weeks, the evidence of that recovery has become more convincing.
Bottle-nosed dolphins have cruised past our condo and a handful of manatees are now hanging out in the boat canal. While ospreys remain far less common than usual, flotillas of American white pelicans have re-entered our portion of the bay, red-breasted mergansers are diving for their meals and cormorants are once again perching on the channel markers between their fishing expeditions. Low tide always brings a host of waders to the bay; though their numbers remain relatively low, all species have been represented during our stay.
No doubt, the Bay's recovery has a way to go but the signs are promising. We have observed schools of large fish from the seawall and more jumpers have breached the surface each day. The ecosystem has been recharged and we humans must minimize any pollution that might fuel future toxic algal blooms.
Bottle-nosed dolphins have cruised past our condo and a handful of manatees are now hanging out in the boat canal. While ospreys remain far less common than usual, flotillas of American white pelicans have re-entered our portion of the bay, red-breasted mergansers are diving for their meals and cormorants are once again perching on the channel markers between their fishing expeditions. Low tide always brings a host of waders to the bay; though their numbers remain relatively low, all species have been represented during our stay.
No doubt, the Bay's recovery has a way to go but the signs are promising. We have observed schools of large fish from the seawall and more jumpers have breached the surface each day. The ecosystem has been recharged and we humans must minimize any pollution that might fuel future toxic algal blooms.
