As inviting as this sign seems,
On its flip side lies its true purpose:
It’s a red tide alert.
For us here in Naples (Collier County),
the signs have actually been a bit of a good luck charm –
We haven’t had a beach-clearing Karenia brevis bloom since they got put up in 2006.
That’s makes it a green light that the coast is clear …
not that I am much of a shell collector.
(The ones I do find are mostly broken.)
The red tide sign is partly meant for tourists.
If you are a local you can click into the state’s red tide Website or call the Hotline (239-732-2591) instead. And more than likely your nose will detect what your eyes can’t see – a sweet smelling aerosol which after a short while starts to tickle the throat with a shallow cough.
Add in a strong west wind (or underlying respiratory problems) and the symptoms can get more severe.
But no worries …
The Shells of Paradise are on display, waters are warm (high 80s), and the waves a gentle ripple (less than a foot) …
Had I only known about the jellyfish!
That sign could use a third flap.
(Here’s an article featured in today’s edition of the Naples Daily News, by Eric Staats, on the recent invasion of “sea jellies.”)
