The Offshore Blues

Some of the Sanibel Sea School staff were recently 35 to 40 miles offshore from Sanibel Island. We were there to explore, experience and collect phytoplankton samples for research conducted at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institue.

In the Gulf of Mexico, being 35 miles offshore is where and when we firmly step right in to the food chain. Radios only work if someone happens to be close by, and they rarely are - cell phones long ago lost coverage. You got yourself there; you get yourself back. A little risk, but the trade-off is immense. A quick trip to our distant planet - the pelagic world. Where flying fish skitter for a 100 yards in the wake of the boat. Where sky and sea blend on the horizon. The wildest of untouched spaces here on our ocean planet. It can be a little scary being alone with the ocean, but yet very re-affirming. We live on an ocean planet, but rarely get the opportunity to go out experience the vast majority of that 70% of our planet. It sure is nice to go out into the wild ocean from time to time - just to know it is still there; still wild and still vast.

Try to do something today to help be a better steward of the planet.