[LewLew]

Originally Posted by HockeyMom72

To uproot yourself, leave your family, and move thousands of miles away just for the weather? Now, I can see the snowbirds point of view. Vacation, etc. I envy them. They go home. How many come here and LEAVE because of practical reasons; no jobs, cost of living, miss family, etc. Paradise can wear thin when you have no money and all your family is far away.

As I said, we came here for the job. That is all. When our retirement time comes, we will be gone. Very unfortunate life had to work out that way, but so be it until circumstances changes.

In the meantime, I just have to hibernate here in the heat as so many people have said so many times that they did up North in the cold.

I don't think any state is great for anyone if they have to leave family and friends. I wouldn't be anywhere I couldn't be near them. Florida is paradise for us b/c we have great jobs, family, and friends. The beach and sun are icing on the cake. Now, it's home. My home was Ohio...but my whole family slowly moved down...now we're set. I agree, the beach isn't the best if you don't want to be here...just try to enjoy it since you HAVE to be here. The time will go much faster than if you mope and grump about it all day on the boards.

[maggsgsr]

Originally Posted by EasyCheeze

This looks like ocean to me. Taken during late August 2007 on the GULF. Add some brown to the water and a wetsuit on the surfer and it could be NJ.

Like he said... Add some brown and a wetsuite

[EasyCheeze]

Originally Posted by HockeyMom72

I guess that is all people move here for is the weather. This is where my husband got a job. Weather or beaches was not a factor at all. Strange as this may sound to those on this board, living in Florida (again for me) was never on the radar screen. If his job had taken him to North Dakota, that is where we would be.

When we retire, it will out of Florida.

I agree with what you're saying but I was born here in FL so its home for me. I wouldn't move anywhere simply for "beaches or weather" but at the same time I wouldn't move somewhere just for a job if I hate the surroundings.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by maggsgsr

Like he said... Add some brown and a wetsuite

Hahaha, excellent! ( no, not NJ )

You just went to 11

[jim09091]

Originally Posted by maggsgsr

Marco Island has the murkiest water I've seen in Florida... Miami and the Keys had the nicest.. And I've been to Marco plenty of times... Never been to the Panhandle or north of Captiva...

Originally Posted by maggsgsr

I've been to Fort Myers, Marco, and Sanibel many times.... With the exception of 1 time at Marco... The water was always still & brown.. Felt like I was swimming in a bay... Couldn't see what I was stepping on.... A friend who lives in Fort Myers said it's because of all the swamps & rivers emptying into the gulf with the tides... Plus they've had a lot of sewege problems by Sanibel... You got to admit though.. South beach has really nice water... Green crystal clear... Providing there are no storms...

Well, I take it then you came during or after rainy summers. I LIVE on Bonita Beach and right now, at this very moment, the water is clear. It is a bone-chilling 83 degrees out and the sea surface temp is 78. Not too shabby for December 10th.

During the summer, especially very rainy ones, the water will darken. This was especially an issue during 2004-2005 considering we had two hurricanes that stirred everything up. Throw on top of that huge releases from Lake O and everything went to hell.

With that said, we experienced a drier summer and no storms. The water is clear - there is minimal run-off from Lake O or the interior. The seasonally murkiness is usually a combination of sediment run-off from the rivers and Everglades and can get stirred up with storms coming over us or passing near us. Also, the recent problems you referenced with Sanibel are in fact true. It appears there was a small, private waste treatment facility on the island that services a section and it was leaking and not up-to-code. As that particular area does not have a standardized sewer system (as it really should considering it is on the water) it immediately polluted that area of beach. This does happen all around the nation's coasts but considering our advances in technology this really is unacceptable.

We put approximately 250 hours on our boat a year and are out most weekends, covering an area from Charlotte Harbor/Cabbage Key south to Marco. The waters lately have been beautiful and depending on the day range from blue to green. Also, recent aerials have shown the same thing. The increased clarity has allowed sea grass to take off in the bays (i.e. Estero Bay) which is helping to reduce man-made pollution and fertilizer run-off that has come with the increase in growth.

As far as South Beach, yes the water had a nice color but there was just too much trash in the water for my tastes. People seem to like to use it as their trash can during the crowded winter season and everytime I was there during the summer it was usually raining so I can't comment. I grew up near Fort Lauderdale and remember a lot of days with man-o-war, rip tides & sea lice - so not all was perfect. As this discussion is about water clarity though - I think both have their peak times depending on the year.

Regardless, I'll take 76 degree "brown" water (which it is not but I am saying this for comparison sake) in December to 50 or 40 degree frozen-penguin water up north! I lived in New England for some time - I'll never forget going to the Ocean in June and trying to figure out why it felt like I was running into a cruel joke. I was waiting for an iceberg with seals on it to float by!

I'll take some pictures from the Bonita/Naples area and post them this week to give some ideas of what it is NOW - not to say that next summer it won't go brown with a hurricane or heavy rain season.

[maggsgsr]

Originally Posted by jim09091

Well, I take it then you came during or after rainy summers. I LIVE on Bonita Beach and right now, at this very moment, the water is clear. It is a bone-chilling 83 degrees out and the sea surface temp is 78. Not too shabby for December 10th.

During the summer, especially very rainy ones, the water will darken. This was especially an issue during 2004-2005 considering we had two hurricanes that stirred everything up. Throw on top of that huge releases from Lake O and everything went to hell.

With that said, we experienced a drier summer and no storms. The water is clear - there is minimal run-off from Lake O or the interior. The seasonally murkiness is usually a combination of sediment run-off from the rivers and Everglades and can get stirred up with storms coming over us or passing near us. Also, the recent problems you referenced with Sanibel are in fact true. It appears there was a small, private waste treatment facility on the island that services a section and it was leaking and not up-to-code. As that particular area does not have a standardized sewer system (as it really should considering it is on the water) it immediately polluted that area of beach. This does happen all around the nation's coasts but considering our advances in technology this really is unacceptable.

We put approximately 250 hours on our boat a year and are out most weekends, covering an area from Charlotte Harbor/Cabbage Key south to Marco. The waters lately have been beautiful and depending on the day range from blue to green. Also, recent aerials have shown the same thing. The increased clarity has allowed sea grass to take off in the bays (i.e. Estero Bay) which is helping to reduce man-made pollution and fertilizer run-off that has come with the increase in growth.

As far as South Beach, yes the water had a nice color but there was just too much trash in the water for my tastes. People seem to like to use it as their trash can during the crowded winter season and everytime I was there during the summer it was usually raining so I can't comment. I grew up near Fort Lauderdale and remember a lot of days with man-o-war, rip tides & sea lice - so not all was perfect. As this discussion is about water clarity though - I think both have their peak times depending on the year.

Regardless, I'll take 76 degree "brown" water (which it is not but I am saying this for comparison sake) in December to 50 or 40 degree frozen-penguin water up north! I lived in New England for some time - I'll never forget going to the Ocean in June and trying to figure out why it felt like I was running into a cruel joke. I was waiting for an iceberg with seals on it to float by!

I'll take some pictures from the Bonita/Naples area and post them this week to give some ideas of what it is NOW - not to say that next summer it won't go brown with a hurricane or heavy rain season.

I agree... The water up here doesn't warm up until August... Unless we have an abnormally warm summer.... And it still doesn't get that warm..

[Louisiana Girl]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

I need to get up to the panhandle some time...our beaches over here can rival that color, but not that sand or serenity. I love going to the gulf coast (Naples) just to relax, read a book, listening to the waves crash, and actually attain some peace.

Forgive me if I overlooked it but where were these pictures taken? Also is the water like this all the time? Here,our water is gross brown and dirty in SW Louisiana,we usually go to Galveston to the beach because the beaches are cleaner,the water is still brown.We are planning our vacation right now for the summer and want clear beautiful water and beaches.Any recommendations for any part of Florida is greatly appreciated. The pictures above are beautiful

[Tony from Europe]

It is very beautiful but there are a lot of sharks !!!

[2bohemians]

Originally Posted by Louisiana Girl

Forgive me if I overlooked it but where were these pictures taken? Also is the water like this all the time? Here,our water is gross brown and dirty in SW Louisiana,we usually go to Galveston to the beach because the beaches are cleaner,the water is still brown.We are planning our vacation right now for the summer and want clear beautiful water and beaches.Any recommendations for any part of Florida is greatly appreciated. The pictures above are beautiful

We highly recommend the Emerald Coast in the Northwest Florida Panhandle. If you are looking for clean beaches and clear beautiful warm water, in our opinion you can't beat our beaches. And if you are coming from Louisiana, it's not that far of a trip. The photos below were taken at a property called Watersound. If you need any recommendations or suggestions, please feel free to ask or send us a direct message.

[2goldens]

The most beautiful beach would be the National Seashore in panhandle.
Last time I was there several years ago, I got the feeling of un-touched virginity
around me. Does this make sense?