Carolina Sailors

[Potcake boy]

Hope all of you are out of the danger zone of Florence. By living in Florida I have learned one truth about hurricanes, they are unpredictable, and seem sometimes to have a mind of their own. Last year when we were faced with Irma it was a scary time. We were fortunate because the potential of 12 to 15 feet of surge, which thankfully didn't materialize, would have wiped us out. We had moved into our newly built retirement house a week earlier, and hadn't yet purchased flood insurance. I was resisting the purchase because it adds to the retirement budget and our house was built to 10.5' elevation. I took that brush with disaster as a sign, and got flood coverage immediately.

Don't forget about your boats. Every time you see pictures of a hurricane aftermath, the one thing that seems to stand out is the fiberglass piled up on the shoreline.

Tragically our political system is ignoring the looming crisis of climate change and the problem grows worse every year. I'm not talking politics here, just scientific truth, we are heading straight for a untold consequences. We here in Southwest Florida are witnessing first hand the destructive nature of ignoring the scientists' warning about our disregard for the environment. Red tide and the algae in our area have crushed recreational and tourist activity along our coast. Businesses that depend on our environmental richness are on life support, their employees receiving food assistance to keep their families from hunger. If we expect to pass our love of sailing to our future generations, then we must preserve the very thing that attracted many of us in the first place. I wouldn't take my grand kids to the local beach or a boat ride on our local waters in their present state.

[Chris D]

Well said Potcake.

[moonlight]

Years ago, as a wet behind the ears chemist working for Texaco, I enrolled in some graduate classes at Old Dominion University...

I was doing fine, until the professor spoke of "...driving through New Jersey looking at all the refineries spewing pollution..."

I raised my hand.  He asked, "yes, Mr. Burke"?  I said, "I just wanted to confirm what I heard ... driving through New Jersey..."

He reiterated, "...yes, you drive up through New Jersey and see all the refineries spewing pollution...".

We repeated this cycle three times.  Then I made my point.  He was DRIVING.  Not a horse and buggy.  Not walking.  He was buying the dope sold by that refinery... happily.

So, yes, we all own this.  We all did this.  Let's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  We have the power, right here in our pocketbooks, to do it...  But we all have to do it together.

[Chris D]

Also well said Moonlight.