"Aquatic Army" To Rally on Virginia Key Sunday

An “Aquatic Army” will descend on Virginia Key Sunday, Oct. 17 at the “Rally for Lolita’s Retirement.”

The event is being organized in part by Oceanic Defense, a non-profit ocean education and advocacy group that seeks to raise awareness about everyone’s responsibility to protect the world’s oceans. This week the group hosted a series of events and community forums in Miami.

The Rally takes place from 12 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010 outside the Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key.

Guest speakers include Captain Pete Bethune, captain of Earthrace, the wave-piercer that set a world record for the fastest global circumnavigation; Trevor, a nine year old boy from Washington State who started the Let Lolita Live Campaign; and Cynthia Aguilar, a record-setting endurance paddle boarder and South Beach Ocean Lifeguard, subject of an upcoming documentary about her challenge to solo paddle from Cuba-to-Key West.

Lolita (Tokitae) is a 44-year old captive orca living at the Miami Seaquarium in Miami, Florida. She was captured off Whidbey Island, Washington State in 1970. In response to previous requests to retire Lolita, the Miami Seaquarium has responded that the killer whale has been hand-fed for the past 39 years and could not survive on her own in the ocean.

Resources:
www.oceanicdefense.org
http://www.miamiseaquarium.com

Photo courtesy of Oceanic Defense.

@2010 All Rights Reserved

Virginia Key on Facebook: Friends of Virginia Key

Gulf Oil Crisis Response: Beach Rally, Photo Project

If the Gulf of Mexico oil spill were to enter the Gulf “loop current” Virginia Key, with its vast expanse of wetlands, marshes and mangrove forests and sea-turtle nesting beaches, would be severely impacted.

Though the oil is now more than 80 miles away from the Gulf loop current, changes in wind and weather patterns could bring the oil to the Florida Keys and around to Miami Dade's beaches and barrier islands. The oil rig site is discharging approximately 210,000 gallons a day for a total estimated output of 3.5 million gallons already spilled into the Gulf. Fishing grounds throughout the region have been closed.

Everglades and Biscayne National Parks are bracing for the impact, already documenting conditions pre-oil spill.

Average citizens are also taking action in the wake of this unprecedented environmental catastrophe. Some are documenting current conditions through photos of shorelines and beaches. Others are holding events calling for an end to off-shore oil drilling.

THINGS TO DO NOW:
Rally: Miami-Dade County Says “No to Off Shore Drilling” Rally took place May 11 on Miami Beach where several hundred participated.

Photo Project: Tropical Seike is collecting photos of shorelines to document existing conditions. The photo-baseline project will collect images of our beaches, estauries, and harbors before and after the BP-Deepwater Horizon oil/tar arrives. Include the name of the specific site and date. The project site is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tropical-Selkie-gathering-the-ocean-tribes/231034041891?ref=mf

Resources:
http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/environment/sea_grant_oilspill.shtml
http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/oilspill/