Yesterday started out with some clouds and a pretty stiff breeze out of the Northeast, but by the afternoon, the day turned out beautifully sunny, warm and only a light breeze. Initially we were headed to Snipes Key, but upon arrival the Northeastern wind which was blowing straight on the the beach was creating a pretty high surf condition and not one that we could securely anchor the boat in.
Undaunted, we charged straight back into the surf and headed back to the Mud Keys and a protected beach that I knew there. After a 20 or so minute cruise back, we surfed the pontoon across the small reef there and through the little channel to the beach. We dropped the anchor and proceeded to unload and get the party underway. The sun had come out by now, but the breeze continued for an hour or so more, but we didn't care the party was under way.
The party went on all afternoon, and a great time of fun and a bit of spiritual influence, made for a great day on the water and beach, when one of our party emerged from a trail back into the mangroves with the news that some previous visitors had left enough beer bottles and trash to fill a dumpster. This was a very disturbing thing for all of us that use the beaches and small keys down here. The group grabbed garbage bags and proceeded down the trail and removed 6 55 gallon garbage bags from the mangroves just in this one small key.
This is a very disgraceful badge for the visitors to this pristine and beautiful area to have to wear. It is my and the rest of the people that I hang with that if you can carry the bottles and cans out to the beach full of beer and other stuff, you can carry your trash back home with you. This is totally not cool!!! It is our contention that you need to leave the beach and the uninhabited areas cleaner than when you arrived. I do like to feel the sand between my toes and not have to worry about having my feet cut by broken glass.
It was a great celebration of Leanne's birthday and a really fun and fulfilling day for all or our party barge crew. Happy Birthday Leanne and lets look forward to your next one on hopefully a clean Mud Key beach. ;o)
