Okay, I will have to admit this year has been really different. The weather has been off the wall. We had an extremely cold winter – it took forever to warm up. Even August had some fall-like days, the mornings so crisp and dry, you felt like you needed a sweatshirt. We’ve had a lot of rain, no droughts this summer, no burn bans. The Fourth of July wasn’t put on hold, fireworks stands sold their rockets and everyone enjoyed numerous firework displays up and down the beach. All in all, it’s been a pretty wonderful and unusual year so far.

Da da – da da … here’s where I’m going with this – SEAWEED! Yep, it’s been a very prolific summer for seaweed. Ever since Memorial Day weekend, we’ve been blessed with seaweed. Did I say “Blessed”? Hey, it’s all in the eye of the beholder! “Nature Happens!” Our relationship with Crystal Beach Local News, Crystal Beach Facebook and my little job with the Chamber bring us in constant contact with social media and their constant questions, concerns, and complaints about “What are we doing about this seaweed situation?” They ask, “What is the City doing about this awful stuff?”

Listen, if I sound like I’m the least bit tired of hearing about it, you’re right! Yes, I am extremely proud to be from here, I value our beaches, I wouldn’t have chosen to retire here over 2 years ago if I wasn’t. We value our tourists, it’s what keeps this peninsula going, yes, we’ll rake our beaches to keep you happy … and keep you coming back.The raking and plowing of our precious sand to “get that dang seaweed off the beach” bothers me to no end. Especially when I see all the sand that goes along with it. Yes, it bothers me when yet another sand dune has to be formed in front of the natural sand dunes just to get “it” off the beach.

Here’s a suggestion: Why not gather a bunch of the fresh stuff in your hands as it comes rolling in and see the LIFE living in it? That’s what we’ve taught our children and grandchildren. The seaweed has been put there for a reason. Can you say Sargasso Sea? You know, I wasn’t called or emailed earlier on in the year to reason with folks about “why was it taking so long for the weather to warm up?” or “why is it raining this weekend?”

GO’s Sand Bucket is only one beach bum’s journal of life at the beach, probably something each of you can relate to. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts, visions and/or feelings of just exactly what the beach means to you.

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