Hands Across The Sand - stories, photos, video

[kurt]

Go to your favorite stretch of beach at 12 noon central time (1PM Eastern) and help protect it by drawing a line in the sand!

Please post here which beach you are headed to.

Post from the beach on your smart phone - bookmark www.SoWal.com/bb

Let us know afterward what you saw.

Email photos to us - or post on this thread, or the gallery.

Your photos may be published in news sites and publications anywhere in the world, including SoWal.com - include your name if you would like credit.

Thanks Everyone!!! Time to draw the line!



Thanks to Dave Rauschkolb for his vision, leadership, and energy!

[kurt]

I know there will be a lot of folks on the beach today. Seaside and Grayton are going to be packed. Be prepared to walk awhile if you plan to join hands. Don't forget the accesses at Van Ness Butler Park between Seaside and WaterColor, and Grayton Beach State Park. Go to your favorite stretch of beach and help protect it!

Tips of the Day…

1. Use only approved beach accesses and parking.
2. Create as long a line or as many lines as you wish.
3. Be courteous and respectful to those who disagree with your view.
4. …enjoy yourself, it's the beach!

Hands Across The Sand | A gathering of citizens of Florida to prevent near shore oil drilling in Florida's coastal waters.

Hands Across The Sand | Facebook

Hands Across Sand (HandsAcrossSand) on Twitter

[Caroling]

Please post here which beach you are headed to. Let us know afterward what you saw. Email photos to hands@SoWal.com - or post on this thread, or the gallery.

How about videos? Lyn and I are heading to Eastern Lake Beach Access. No parking. We're walking.

[kurt]

How about videos? Lyn and I are heading to Eastern Lake Beach Access. No parking. We're walking.

Of course! Post 'em up!

Everyone posting on this thread gets rep.

Everyone posting photos or videos gets 50 posts!

[GoodWitch58]

Many thanks to Dave Rauschkolb for his vision to make this happen.

Hundreds of volunteers have worked tirelessly for four months on this campaign, but without Dave's vision, tenacity, and unselfishness it would not be happening today.

He is #1 in my book! See you on the beach.

[sunspotbaby]

Dave, you are feeding us right?

[Miss Critter]

Today's email from Sierra Club. I doubt we'll have counter protesters here, but good info in any case. Note the suggestion to contact US Senators.



Thank you for signing up to join Hands Across the Sand at your local beach today. You are one of 750 Sierra Club members who responded to our email last Saturday morning and told us you’d be going to a Florida beach today. 149 of you also told us you’d be shooting video on the beach. It’s going to be beautiful day to join hands: clear (if cool) weather, making the recommended color of the day: black clothes, feel pretty good in the sun.

If you’re not sure where to go, just go to this link: http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/hands-across-the-sand-locations.php and click on one of the 5 regions in the map of Florida to go to a list of all Hands events in your part of the state. Your beach’s event coordinator and how he or she can be reached is listed there. There may also a Facebook page link for your beach event with even more details.

Remember, show up at 1:00 to be ready to join Hands at 1:30 til 1:45. (or 12:00 & 12:30 – 12:45 for you Panhandle folks on central time).

The Sierra Club recognized there is a possibility of counter-protestors attempting to disrupt these events on our public beaches. If such a thing happens where you are, follow these 3 steps IF counter protesters attempt to interfere with our event:

a.Do not debate or interact with counter protesters.

b.Don’t get into a shouting match with counter protesters.

c.Follow the instructions of the coordinator or the person designated as peacekeeper if a difficult situation takes place.

Regardless what a disruptor might do, remember: NO FIGHTING. That cannot be the story. If it happens, that will be the headline of what the media reports. Please do all you can to ensure that doesn’t happen at your beach.

If you volunteered to shoot video today at Hands Across the Sands, or would now like to do so, here’s what we ask you put in your message, and why:

Most people don’t realize it but the threat from Big Oil is even more serious today in Washington than Tallahassee . That’s why we ask that you direct your message to our U.S. Senators George LeMieux and Bill Nelson. The U.S. Senate will soon consider a climate bill to ramp up clean renewable energy to create 2 million new jobs, but there is a grave risk that the Senate will also include oil drilling off Florida ’s coast.

So in your video message, please ask our Senators to “support a strong climate bill that gives Florida 100,000 new solar & wind energy jobs, while saving our state’s 1,000,000 coastal tourism jobs from the threat of oil drilling off our coasts. We knowBill Nelson already is fighting to make sure we get such a bill; he’s all for clean energy and is leading the opposition to more drilling in the Sneate. So thank Bill Nelson for being America ’s champion against Big Oil.

But George LeMieux needs to hear from you. He has a key swing vote for a strong climate bill with no drilling. Now is the time to make sure he knows his constituents (that’s you & everbody on the beach with you) want him to support a strong climate bill with NO drilling. Clean Energy Jobs Now! No Drilling off Florida ’s Beaches!

Preface your message by introducing yourself, who you’re with and where you are. Keep the message brief – a minute or 2 at the most.

Please send your content to http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=157177 Mark it private – you’ll still be able to share it with me & 24 others. If you don’t have a you tube account, sign up for one. We’ll review all the video submitted next week and deliver it to Senators LeMieux’s & Nelson’s Tampa offices. Get it in to us in the next 2-3 days and we’ll have time to make sure our Senators’ people see it and can pass on your message before they go back to work Feb. 22nd.

Next week the US Senate is on break. Why not go by the nearest offices of your US Senators, Bill Nelson & George LeMieux yourself and also share your message, and video, with them at the office? Here‘s the links to find an office in your part of Florida :

Click here for Bill Nelson’s office locations: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/offices.cfm

Click here for George LeMieux’s office locations: http://lemieux.senate.gov/public/?p=OfficeLocations

Thanks for being part of Hands Across the Sand and for making the effort to create this special, very improtant message at such a critical time for our state’s future. We’ll make sure your voice is heard!

Let us know how it goes, and what you’re able to do next week to follow on today with your Senators LeMieux & Nelson.


Phil Compton, Regional Representative, Sierra Club Florida Regional Office
111 2nd Ave. NE, Ste. 1001 , St. Petersburg , FL 33701
727-824-8813, ext. 303 813-841-3601: cell
Meet me atFlorida Climate Crossroads:
http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GRP_FLA_CC&autologin=true

[Gidget]

Wow Miss Critter - such excellent information! Thank you so much for posting. I am going to follow up on it!

I plan on dashing over to either BMB access or S.Bluff while taking a timed break from staining our concrete floor! Bringing camera - I love taking pics

Thanks again
G

[Dave Rauschkolb]

Good morning! I woke up two hours early, wide awake thinking about all we have all accomplished in the past three and one half months. Whatever happens today and in the future I want to thank all of you for joining hands with me to make a difference regarding this important issue for Florida's future.

We are fighting for the protection of our coastal legacy to pass on to our children and grandchildren. If we don't succeed, the pipelines will come, the rigs will come, the refineries will come and surely the oil spills will follow and our beautiful waterways and coastline will be forever changed. We have a very good chance to change all that. We are protesting to protect so much we value.

We have an opportunity to preserve our future. Florida's treasures are our past, our present and if we succeed our future. These are the elements that define our Florida. Our beaches, our waterways, our mangroves, our rivers, our springs, our Everglades; this beautiful, amazing wonder that Florida Is. We are fighting for the soul of OUR Florida.

There is a minority of Floridians who have no problem with selling out Florida's soul. Unfortunately, some in that minority, our Legislators and Governor are in a position to forever change our Florida. The most important message to convey to your fellow HANDS on the beach today is for them to write their Legislators!

I expect this issue to come up in this Legislative session (Dean Cannon said it would in the recent Orlando Sentinel article) but it is doubtful it will be voted on and passed any time soon. Now that our network of HANDS are in place the simplicity of this protest enables us to repeat it whenever necessary and it will certainly grow. Be prepared to invite Florida back to the beaches at a future date. It's such a simple, yet powerful a statement.

We must make any Legislator who voted for this and any Legislator who might vote for it think twice in fear of their jobs. The only way to do that is to flood their offices with faxes, emails and phone calls during this Legislative Session and in the future. We have to make this the most unpopular issue in their Legislative lives so much they, hopefully won't even breath the word OIL. Please implore all on the beach today to take action. This fight is just beginning today and Florida's soul is at stake.

On a much lighter note, It 's a beautiful day in Florida, Sunshine all over the State! Good luck and have fun, after all, it's the beach!

Through our coordinated efforts we will win this fight! I lifted this passage from the HANDS home page. When I wrote these words in early October I never imagined how much it would actually come true. "Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting our waterways and beaches from the devastating effects of oil drilling. Thank you! Thank you all!!


Dave Rauschkolb
Founder, Hands Across The Sand

[Dave Rauschkolb]

Well, how about free coffee and hot chocolate at the entrance of Bud & Alley's?

Dave, you are feeding us right?

[Dave Rauschkolb]

Special thanks to Kurt and all at SoWal for your support with HANDS!!

Dave

Go to your favorite stretch of beach at 12 noon central time (1PM Eastern) and help protect it by drawing a line in the sand!

Please post here which beach you are headed to.

Post from the beach on your smart phone - bookmark www.SoWal.com/bb

Let us know afterward what you saw.

Email photos to hands@SoWal.com - or post on this thread, or the gallery.

Your photos may be published in news sites and publications anywhere in the world, including SoWal.com - include your name if you would like credit.

Thanks Everyone!!! Time to draw the line!



Thanks to Dave Rauschkolb for his vision, leadership, and energy!

[kurt]

Well, how about free coffee and hot chocolate at the entrance of Bud & Alley's?

See you there!

[North Lake]

It's a beautiful day. Hope to see everybody out on the beach!

[familyof3]

The Gulf Coast is so beautiful. I wish my family could be there to join you guys. Stand tall for all of us supporting from afar.

[Teresa]

Everyone I know will be on the beach today at noon. I feel very confident that our voices will be heard and that we will make a difference in the preservation and future of our Florida.. But I feel the need to say that whatever comes of today, I can say that I live in the best community in the world. This place just gets better and better. Its a beautiful place filled with passionate people! Just the fact that people care enough to take time to go out and make a difference - makes me smile and weep at the same time. Thanks to Dave for leadership. Thanks to the best community on earth for caring.

[kurt]

Hanging at the Seaside Farmer's Market. Plenty of parking still. Come on down.

[Mightyern]

Lots of support at Blue Mountain/83 access though I am the lone bicyclist!

[kurt]

Lots of folks on the beach in SoWal!

[Geo]

My best friend and I represented at Spooky Lane.

[Lake View Too]

There were about 350-400 people at Seaside. We came together at various times, and looked darn impressive. It was fun.

[sunspotbaby]

There were about 350-400 people at Seaside. We came together at various times, and looked darn impressive. It was fun.

It definitely was impressive!

[sunspotbaby]

I did see a LOT of cars heading to the beach as we were leaving. I hope they didn't have their times wrong!

[ASH]

79 were at Blue Mountain Beach.
My Wife and I met Andy A and his lovely bride Betty at White Cliffs and stood with them for awhile before heading to Blue mountain.

Someone there was taking pictures.

[Bobby J]

Great crowd today at Ed Wallines. Will post pictures later. I have many!

[passin thru]

Four peaceful protestors were at the Greenwood Ave. access in Seagrove. Thanks, Dave, great work.

[Teresa]

There were about 350-400 people at Seaside. We came together at various times, and looked darn impressive. It was fun.

I was there and saw lots of friends and friendly faces. When it came time for everyone to line up and hold hands I was lucky enough to be surrounded by about 8 little boys - they were having a blast! looking up and down the beach I saw how long the line was in both directions - I was emotionally overwhelmed to think of how wonderful it is to live here. The weather was PERFECT - sunny, cool but without much wind so we were warm in the sun. The people definitely showed up to draw a line in the sand.

and to end a perfectly beautiful, peaceful protest on a gorgeous beach... a crowd enjoyed a New Orleans-style brass band playing in the streets, bringing a little bit of New Orleans mardi gras straight to SoWal... and these guys (several) were seriously good!!! Never thought I would see a true piece of mardi gras in the middle of Seaside.

[SWGB]

Grayton beach had approximately 150-200 folks and despite peoples fears very few vehicles. Video coming soon.

[sunspotbaby]

Grayton beach had approximately 150-200 folks and despite peoples fears very few vehicles. Video coming soon.

No wonder i didn't see you at Seaside! Glad there was good turn out in Grayton too! can't wait to see pics and video.

[Teresa]

Grayton beach had approximately 150-200 folks and despite peoples fears very few vehicles. Video coming soon.

oh, my heart was definitely in Grayton Beach. But wanted to see some parade and brass band action at Seaside! It was a beautiful day.

[30A Skunkape]

A few snaps from Grayton. As SWGB said above, I think 150 was about right. We could see maybe 20 or so people down at Gulf Trace, too

Hey, and elected officials, I want you to know most of the people were locals who vote! Don't do anything stupid to the one and only Emerald Coast!

[familyof3]

Yeah, great pics I have been waiting for some. Thanks for sharing!

[CSully]

We were at BMB baby and all. Awesome turnout.

Do we have a list of the legislators (and their contact info) who are supporting this?

Aha...reading the whole thread helps!!

[30A Skunkape]

Yeah, great pics I have been waiting for some. Thanks for sharing!

There will be many more coming, I am sure. I also wanted to point out that many of the Grayton participants went to the Red Bar to recharge following the event. It made me think of how much money our local business owners would lose if people stopped coming to SOWAL after figuring out dingy beaches were cheaper to utilize in Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas Think it can't happen? Think again!

[Carol G]

My best guestimate is 75 people at Rosemary Beach in front of the west green, but more people kept joining in so it's hard to tell. A bunch of people were taking photos, I hope someone posts them. I stood next to a lady who had been shopping in one of the stores and came down to the beach in support after she heard what was going on. I met a few new peeps and had some great conversations about alternative energy sources. Many thanks to Dave R. and all the fine folks who made this happen!

[Caroling]

Slighted edited from the original video. Here's from Eastern Lake where there were about 15 people.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGCkxMs4j78"]YouTube- No oil drilling in Florida waters - Hands Across the Sand[/ame]

[kurt]

Photos - Photos - Beaches of South Walton - 02/13/10

Open wide panorama - http://sowal.com/p-100213-seaside-001.jpg

Open wide panorama - http://sowal.com/p-100213-seaside-002.jpg

[Allifunn]

I was not able to be a participant in this momentous occasion, but seeing the photos and video makes me quite emotional and helps me feel like I was there.

[Douglas the Intrepid]

I manage a store at Pier Park and there was quite a good turnout on the beach by the pier today. I am so glad this was supported so well!

[ItzKatzTime]

Beautiful day and great pictures!!!!!

[Gidget]

79 were at Blue Mountain Beach.
My Wife and I met Andy A and his lovely bride Betty at White Cliffs and stood with them for awhile before heading to Blue mountain.

Someone there was taking pictures.

I was there!! Too bad I didn't know who you were or I would have said "hi" We were going to go meet with Andy A too but decided to see if our neighbors were at BMB and they were. There were like 81 people at BMB - from a few months old to 88 yrs old!! I have pics. I need to find where to post on the forum.

It truly was a fun time - meeting people we already knew and meeting new friends. What a beautiful day too!!

G

[Caroling]

I have pics. I need to find where to post on the forum.

You can put them right here if you want. Click "Reply". Then from the icons, click on the pencil (attachments). You can browse for your photos.

[Bobby J]

Here are some pics from Ed Walline. Great turnout!

Also posted a link to more:

Picasa Web Albums - Bobby - Hands across ...

[Gidget]

Here's my pics

Blue Mountain Beach
Hands Across The Sand
February 13, 2010

[North Lake]

Great crowd today at Ed Wallines. Will post pictures later. I have many!

Bobby, great to see you out there today. We would have been at Eastern Lake here by the house, but happened to be down at Ed Walline so went there. What a great crowd!

[North Lake]

Here are some pics from Ed Walline. Great turnout!

Also posted a link to more:

Picasa Web Albums - Bobby - Hands across ...

Great photos!

[miznotebook]

My first try at attaching, but this should be Dave and company being photographed today from all angles!

[Lisa_at_the_beach]

Beautiful day at the beach....Let's keep it that way....here are a few I took

[SWGB]

Gidget, you're gonna give kurt a run for his money.

I think the best part of this is seeing someone I know in every single picture.

[30A Skunkape]

Gidget...

GREAT PICTURES!!!

WOW!!!

Hey, I'm fired up to pizz off a buncha oily Texans, anyone else with me?!!

[Beauty hunter]

Texas oil riggers offer black beaches with radioactive material to swim in:
"Oil drilling platforms are visible off in the distance and there is oil and gas exploration at the park. The visitor's center warns about the tar that washes up onto the beach from all of the oil production in the area and about the dangers of medical and chemical debris that ends up on shore as a result of the prevailing currents. While there's a mile or two of natural beach, the vast majority of the shoreline is open to four wheel drive vehicles. In fact, the beaches are designated Texas public highways."www.hubis.com/blog(scroll all the way down-next to last pic)
(Last paragraph before conclusion on below link minimizes danger of radioactive material-??????)
The bull is high and it stinks, the regulations sketchy and vague, and someone got paid to compromise this land. This is the visible result, I don't have statistics on the radioactive material that people swam in, but I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
Padre Island National Seashore - The White Paper (U.S. National Park Service)