Probably the best and most informative video you’ll ever see on recognizing and dealing effectively with rip currents, from Dr. Stephen Leatherman. Thanks to Kenneth Wright for posting this on my FloridaBeachunter Facebook Page.

This is a guest post by Susan Jarvis Moody. July is National Parks and Recreation Month Florida encourages families to get outside, get moving, and get up close and personal with Mother Nature. My kids, Alex age 6, Harper, age 3, and I spent a morning exploring Henderson Beach State Park right on the Gulf [...]

July has brought a lot of Blue Button jellyfish to the Texas beaches. These beautiful jellies are quite harmless. Have you found Blue Buttons? Report your sighting by leaving a comment below this blog post. Visit my Blue Button sightings web page to see where else they are being found and to see more photos. [...]

I find myself in need of a way to get to beaches and islands that are not accessible by car. The expense of a boat or a jet ski does not appeal to me. So a kayak seems the most natural option. Ah, but do you think it is easy to choose the right kayak [...]

We hear about the destruction of ocean life and the impact our lifestyles have on the environment in general. What we don’t get to see that often is the positive impact that sustainability efforts have on ocean life. Then there is Apo Island in the Philippines where local firshermen were convinced by mrine scientist, Dr. Angel Alcala, to create a marine sanctuary instead of overfishing the area which would have led to the destruction of their reef system. The island itself is a 12 hectare volcanic island hosting only two resorts complete with dive centers.

Apo has come to be known as one of the best examples of community-organized marine sanctuaries. It took three years of communicating with the local fishermen but Dr. Alcala was successful and with the help of the Silliman University Marine Laboratory and the locals, an area 450 meters along the shoreline and 500 meters out from shore was selected in 1982. This conservation effort led the way for the creation of hundreds of marine sanctuaries in the Philippines and is proof that community driven conservation efforts really does have an impact and even though it takes some time to see that impact, it is nonetheless worth it every time.

The video above by Vimeo user Steve De Neef shows us what we could have lost in the world had Dr. Alcala’s efforts not been put in place.

Description of the video by the creator:

A short impression of the underwater world of Apo Island. Apo is one of the most successful sanctuaries in Asia, in the 80′s the reef was almost destroyed by destructive and unsustainable fishing practices. With the help of the local community, the reef has completely recovered, turtles are plentiful and the resident school of jacks has returned. Apo is a perfect example of what a marine sanctuary that’s run properly can achieve.

You can watch the original video here.

Today I tried out 9 different kayaks at the kayak demo day hosted by Paddle-Fishing.com . It was a fantastic opportunity to try out different yaks and compare them side-by-side. Here is a description of the kayaks I paddled today and my impressions. Keep in mind that I’m not generally knowledgeable about kayak designs, performance [...]

Beach Bocce Ball

Looking for new fun ways to enjoy your day at the beach? Try Beach Bocce. Bocce comes from an ancient line of sport going back to the Roman Empire. It is pronounced “Botchie.” The rules are fairly simple and the great thing is that you don’t need a lot of people, it is fairly cheap for a set of Bocce balls, it is for all ages, you don’t need to physically overexert yourself and you don’t necessarily have to be sober to play it. In fact, it goes well with beers.

The game can be played between two people, two teams of two, three or four. Once you have your teams one of the teams throws a small ball called the jack out onto the sand no more than say 15 feet out. The objective then for each team to throw (“bowl”) their four bocce balls underhanded and try to get as close to the jack as possible. You can even knock your opponents balls out of the way. The scoring team gets one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the opposing team. The team with the most bocce balls closest to the jack wins. It is that simple.

A set of decent bocce balls will run about $30 but there are certainly cheaper ones out there. Remember to put sunscreen on your shoulders before you get carried away in a heated bocce match.

Having music when going to the beach is key so during the summer months I am going to start posting some music tracks, both old and new, perfect for a beach playlist. My first pick is The Body by Pains of Being Pure at Heart. This video captures the essence of being a kid, summer holidays and awesome fun on the beach. Even more effective is the feeling of longing for a summer holiday, allowances and lazy days just being that every grownup feels from time to time (admit it!).

Clearwater Beach lifeguards in tower 3 watch over the beach near Pier 60. USLA (United States Lifesaving Association) has calculated the chance that a person will drown while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards at 1 in 18 million (.0000055%). This is based on the last ten years of reports from USLA affiliated [...]

I love to do these panoramic shots with my iphone. They aren’t perfectly stitched together, but good enough to achieve the intended purpose. I didn’t crop off the uneven margins because I like the raw look.

It was a beautiful day today on Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands. I took a kayak to the northern tip of Caladesi Island this morning and captured the image above. Then I went to Honeymoon Island and walked the beach for several hours. Thank goodness for the stiff breeze off the Gulf of Mexico. Out of [...]

Lionfish are a colorfully striped fish native to the western Pacific Ocean. They are heavily protected by long, sharp, poisonous spines. And they are invading Florida waters. Lionfish seem to prefer rocky reefs, so are unlikely to be a threat to people enjoying sandy beaches, but they do seem to seriously reduce populations of native [...]

His name is Luther Rupp. He’s jogging all the way around the State of Florida–the entire perimeter of the state–via the beaches. Even after reading his blog, I’m still not completely sure why he’s doing it, but who needs a reason? Looks like he’s having a great time and meeting lots of nice folks. I’ve [...]

Sunscreen labels should hopefuly be less confusing now.

Finally! About two weeks ago, the FDA announced that they are introducing new sunscreen rules that will hopefully prevent more sun burns and sun cancers. I’ve been purchasing broad spectrum sunscreens of at least SPF 30 for awhile, but it’s always been frustrating to me that all sunscreens in the US do not offer this protection. European countries have made this sort of protection standard for years, and it’s encouraging that our country is finally getting on the bandwagon. It’s not difficult to find sunscreens here that offer UVB protection, but finding broad spectrum sunscreens that shield sunbathers from harmful UVA rays is not always as easy. Sometimes I’ve had to resort to buying “baby sunscreen” to make sure I get both types of protection. Whatever works!

The new rules will go into full effect next summer (2012), so read learn and apply (no pun intended) the rules before heading out for your next Florida beach vacation. Here’s a quick rundown of how the rules will change things:

1. The term “broad spectrum” will not be able to be used on sunscreens that don’t provide the minimum standard of UVA protection.

2. All sunscreens will continue to have an SPF rating, but for products that DON’T have the broad-spectrum rating, the SPF rating will rate ONLY the UVB protection.

3. Higher SPF numbers on broad-spectrum sunscreens will mean more protection against BOTH UVB and UVA

4. Here’s a very helpful one — sunscreens will have to put in writing how many minutes after water exposure or sweating the sunscreen will still be effective (i.e. 30 minutes or 50 minutes). Those that are not water resistant will have to say so on the box.

5. NO sunscreen will be allowed to say that it is wateraPROOF (Hurray! This has always been a pet peeve of mine.) Saying a sunscreen is water RESISTANT is fine, so long as the sunscreen tells you how long you have before you have to re-apply.

Here’s to safe sun worshiping! Remember — you are NOT protected from the sun by the ocean. You’re actually much more exposed when in and around the ocean. I would show you pictures from personal experience to prove this, but I don’t want to ruin anyone’s day.

Follow the new rules so you don't look like this!

Photos: Youngthousands, research indicates

A surfer on Huntington Beach

Surf’s up! Surfing aficionados already know about this, but everyone else might not — a fantastic surfing festival takes place every year in Huntington Beach, CA. The US Open of Surfing is the largest competition in the world and the festival draws tens of thousands of people every year. If you plan to be in the LA area around July 30-August 7, definitely check it out. It’s one thing to watch surfing on TV, but it’s an entirely different experience to watch it live. Some of the world’s best surfers attend this competition, and they’re truly amazing to watch. You can even admire how some of the younger surfers handle the waves in the junior competitions. It’s all a lot harder than it looks!

Why Huntington Beach? As blogger Barbara Weibel points out, Huntington Beach has been named the Surf Capitol of the USA, and for good reason – there are a variety of waves to attempt, from softly rounded baby ones good for beginners to the double breaking waves usually only surfed by the pros. Surfing a wave is a life-changing experience for many; the feeling of the water’s energy beneath your board is magical and addictive.

After a long weekend of absorbing some surfing culture, you could even learn how to construct some sand castles on the beach — Dig It! is a company that specializes in instructing people how to build sand castles – pretty neat, right?

Surf's up in Huntington Beach

Photos: karindalziel, karindalziel

I was disheartened this morning to read a story by Lisa Neff this morning in The Islander newspaper about black skimmer nesting grounds on Anna Maria Island being vandalized three times in the past week during the night. This is the time of year when many of our beautiful beach birds are trying to give [...]

Here you go. Relax and spend a couple of minutes on Anna Maria Beach on a July afternoon.

Caladesi Island State Park

Clearwater, near Tampa, Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and shell collecting opportunities. And as Uptake blogger Britt Reints pointed out, its beauty, even by Florida beach standards, means that 1,001 people are usually on the beach with you at any given time. However, there is a hidden gem near Clearwater that fewer tourists know about, and it’s called Caladesi Island State Park. The beach here was rated as America’s best in 2008, and even a short visit will help you understand why. The sand here is incredibly white, the water very clear, scenery is truly breathtaking.

Hike around or kayak through Caladesi Island's lagoons

Getting to Caladesi Island isn’t that easy, which means that you’ll never have to deal with huge crowds. You can take a 30-minute ferry there from Honeymoon Island, take your own boat or walk; you’ll have to hoof it from Pier 60 on Honeymoon Island. The ferries depart twice a day and are $12 round-trip for adults and $5 for kids (kids under five are free).

If you’d prefer a more active stay on Caladesi Island (you’re only allowed to be there for 4 hours), try the 3-mile hike along the island’s nature trail or a 3-mile kayaking trail.

Photos: Santafeegret, pbyrley

Imperial Beach Sandcastle Competition

When I was a kid growing up in San Diego, my family used to take a trip to Imperial Beach every July to witness something truly spectacular – the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition. The outing would bring back back memories of our family vacations in St. Croix, where my dad would build my sister and I lovely sandcastles on the beach every day. All he used were buckets, sand and water, and yet he managed to create remarkable sandcastles complete with turreted towers, moats, windows and courtyards. Truly magical.

Extraordinary Detail Work

The sandcastles at Imperial Beach, however, are more than just magical — they are truly works of art, masterpieces that look as though even the always encroaching sea waves can never touch. Hour after hour, the artists sweat in the hot sun using delicate “sand scalpels,” spray bottles, brushes, buckets and even tooth brushes. Graceful arches are measured and balanced so as not to topple, realistic-looking windows you want to peek into are carefully carved out and spiraling staircases gradually wind their way up turrets; they look so real that I could imagine a princess walking down them. Castles were not the only works being created from the sand – fantastic-looking sea monsters, humorous cartoons and replications of famous paintings could all be found on the beach. As a young teenager, I once read that Michelangelo remarked that he carved his sculptures by simply chipping away the excess stone to reveal the figure inside. This is what watching some of the sand artists felt like.

At the end of the competition, the castles are left to to be weathered by wind, sun and water. Most people let them be and merely walk by in admiration and respect.

If you have the time, do attend this remarkable event with friends and family. It’s a joyous celebration of talent, whimsy and artistic expression that will not soon be forgotten.

Photos: Port of San Diego

Port of San Diego

A beach near Seaside, Florida

Have you seen The Truman Show? If you have, you probably remember all of those gorgeous, white and pastel-colored houses along the beach. So pristine, so perfect. I don’t know about you, but when I saw the movie, I wanted to visit that town, and I just found out a couple of years ago that I actually could! The movie was partially filmed in Seaside, Florida, a gorgeous little planned community/beach town on the 30A, about 15 minutes north of Rosemary Beach and 45 minutes south of Destin. Seaside was founded in 1981 by a couple who wanted to bring back the charm of Florida’s wooden beach cottages that used to dot the coastline at one point. Their vision has been crazily successful — the town does feel like a movie set with white picket fences, immaculately manicured lawns and gorgeous wooden beach cottages. Umbrellas dot the beach, and the sand is very white and soft.

All of the colors in Seaside seem crisper and more pure. The green grass, the blue blue sky, the blue-green crystal clear water. It makes me want to bottle the place up and take it home with me.

Gorgeous Seaside, Florida

If you don’t want to spend all day at the beach in Seaside (sacrilege!), there are plenty of other things to keep you occupied. Small cafes, restaurants, art galleries and independently owned shops and boutiques are fun to explore. The entire area is only 80 acres in size, so it’s very small and walkable.

Florida has its share of gorgeous beaches, but the beaches in Seaside are definitely at the top of the list. Check one one more photo:

Another view of Seaside's pristine beach

We’re in the midst of summer, so it’s more expensive to visit now; I’d wait until early fall, when temperatures drop a little, the crowds leave and it will be just you, a book and a beach.

Photos: mariko, Ran Yaniv Hartstein, I’ll Never Grow Up