Breathe, Just Breathe

We love Deer Run B&B. We love the Florida Keys. We love the ocean, the sky, the moon and the stars. We love the nature that surrounds us, and we will stand firm to protect it.

With the oil in the Gulf spilling, misinformation spills as well. These are the facts as pertain to our beloved Florida Keys, facts as we know them right now. Media has reported tar balls first in Key West, then other locations in the lower Keys. This all happened relatively late afternoon (for the lower Keys and for us) yesterday. We here at Deer Run are volunteers for something call Coast Watchers. We have an assigned beach to inspect daily and look for anything relating to oil, and then provide data on line regarding the daily status. Who eventually gets the data? I'm not sure, but I surmise it makes its way to Coast Guard at some point.

Tar balls reported to us as Coast Watchers, as well as those found by us, were marked with GPS. Reports were filed with BP, the DEP and the United States Coast Guard. Specimens were collected by the USCG, and sent for DNA analysis. Those results are pending. The tar balls found in Key West are NOT associated with the Deepwater Horizon spill. I do not know where they ARE from. They could be from an opportunistic dumper or dumpers (hard to wrap your head around that one, but its possible). They could be from freighters, cruise ships, fishing vessels, as well as other scenarios. Nothing is being ruled out, and intensive investigations are underway, as well as testing for the recent discoveries. We were verbally advised that the tar balls discovered in our area are visually virtually identical to those found in Key West.

The best, and most often updated site for the entire Florida Keys is to be found at http://www.fla-keys.com/ Our Tourist Development Counsel is updating the info on the spill daily at that link.

Currently, there are massive planning efforts going on down here to prepare for any possibility. This includes training in handling of hazardous materials, wildlife issues, wildlife cleaning, coast watching, water sampling, Coast Guard and Navy gathering materials that may be needed, and more.

Here at Deer Run, we are certified wildlife paraprofessionals as a result of our volunteerism with endangered sea turtles. As a result of the spill, we have both already secured the necessary certifications which will be required in order for us to work with sea turtles who encounter oil IF that happens. That has NOT happened as of now. We are also securing additional certifications to be able to assist with oil clean up, IF necessary.

The media sometimes does not report things accurately, and there was a lot of speculation along with flat out wrong information put out there when the tar was discovered in Key West. Once the DNA results were available early this morning, it was a very loud reminder we MUST keep a calm head. We must prepare, but we must not panic.

We want to tell you that your supportive communications to us mean a lot to us here. Once you've visited the Keys, you find your heart is different forever, for the better. http://www.volunteerflorida.org/ is a website which has information for potential volunteers for the State of Florida. Also, right now the Gulf needs volunteers. I am confident some simple "google" searches will provide some good information for anyone who is considering volunteering in that region.

Many places down here are offering discounts for hair cuts, then shipping the hair out as boom material. Pet groomers are doing the same. Perhaps you could check in your hometown for something like that, or even organize something yourself.

Tonight, I want to tell you to breathe, just breathe. Any way you can send energy for healing, courage and guidance for all involved with this spill, please do so. How you do that doesn't matter, but THAT you do it does matter.

More to follow.