Ten on Tuesday

1. It’s no secret that we love The Gulf, so when Craig had a meeting down that way this week I jumped at the chance to go with him, never knowing that there would be an impending oil slick on its way.
2. The seagulls welcomed us back. We know they missed us. [Okay, okay -- so our ‘neighbors’ were throwing bread out to them…]
3. It [the oil] was expected to be there by Wednesday, but fortunately for Alabama, the weather changed a bit and has kept it off our shoreline – for now.
4. But everyone is talking about it, saying things like, “at least with a hurricane you know when it will hit and what to expect – with this, no one knows…”
5. Volunteers* are gathering to do a pre-cleaning of the beaches to make it easier to clean the oil once it comes ashore. * BP is paying these volunteers so many of the shrimpers & oystermen are doing this since they can’t bring in a catch right now.
6. Deep Sea fishing boats are being checked by the coast guard so they can assist if needed.
7. Booms are going out to protect the in-land waters. [We saw on the local news that whole barricades were being put up on Dauphin Island. Yay.]
8. And it’s so sad to think that the wildlife has no idea it’s coming – and will get caught in it unaware…
9. Still, we enjoyed the sugar white beaches, the warm ocean breeze, and ate delicious shrimp and fish [love The Shrimp Basket & Tacky Jacks.]
10. And I cried when it was time to go…not knowing how things will be the next time I visit. So we sat just a little longer on our bench on the board walk to soak in the last drop of golden goodness that God so richly provides to the Gulf Coast.