The Gulf Coast sparkles in April.
Shiny objects in the sand are usually good things. (Well, unless you step on a Jimmy Buffett pop top.) In the white sand, this shiny object is black. It’s a shark tooth. Finding one is kind of a big deal. They say because of barrier island shapes and currents near Venice, this area of southwest Florida has the best beaches to search for them. And if you don’t find one, that’s okay, because you can buy one at the Venice Sharks Tooth Festival, April 12-13. For more information, go to venicesharkstoothfestival.com.
Okay, maybe you’ll find a shark tooth, but any chance you’ll spot a dinosaur tooth? Well, sort of. If you visit Clearwater Beach from April 11-27, you’ll see dinosaur sculptures at the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival. This year, the theme is “DinoShores: A Prehistoric Adventure in the Sand.” Go to sugarsandfestival.com for more information.
You’ll see lots of shiny objects on the beach in Port Aransas, Texas, at the entrance to Corpus Christi Bay. Look for some at Texas SandFest, the largest beach sand sculpture competition in the U.S., April 25-27. There is an admission fee and parking options may be limited. For more information, visit portaransas.org.
Alabama’s Gulf beaches are always a big attraction in April. Two big events near the state line with Florida are the annual Mullet Man Triathlon, Saturday, April 12th, which includes a quarter-mile swim, a 16.5-mile bike course, and a 3.9-mile run, and the Interstate Mullet Toss and Beach Party, April 25-27. Money raised goes to good causes. For details, visit florabama.com.
On Mississippi’s coast, Pass Christian’s annual Art in the Pass, April 5-6, features the artwork of about 100 artists from 10 or more states. There are many shiny objects at this festival. This free event is held at Memorial Park which overlooks the blue-green Gulf Waters and shiny white beaches. Go to Pass-Christian.com for more information. Also, you’ll cruise 35-plus exhibits at the Gulf Marine Education Festival April 5th. Here you’ll learn all about the science of the Gulf of Mexico, especially Mississippi’s upland habitats and wildlife. And it’s not likely you’ll step on a pop top. Details at grandbaynerr.org.
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Fish Don’t Order Pharmaceuticals
Research confirms that lots of drugs are ingested by marine fishes, mammals, crustaceans, and other wild marine life. Two recent projects focused on Florida bonefish and on dolphin in the Gulf of Mexico. A three-year initiative by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Florida International University (FIU) found 17 different prescription drugs in the blood of 83 Florida bonefish. Lead researcher Jennifer Rehage, a coastal and fish ecologist and associate professor at the FIU Institute of Environment, called the findings “truly alarming.” Now we have results from a recent study. Researchers at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi analyzed 83 live bottlenose dolphins. Thirty dolphins showed the presence of at least one drug. Fentanyl was detected in 18 samples. Because dolphin can store contaminants in their blubber, the results also inform researchers about the general level of pollutants in ecosystems. Bottom line: Sewer systems are not capable of filtering drugs before they are released into the water.
By: Bill AuCoin
