David McRee is the author of Florida Beaches: Finding Your Paradise on the LowerGulf Coast, a guide to the beaches of southwest Florida. A third-generation Floridian, David is the creator of BeachHunter.net, and BlogTheBeach, a website and blog, respectively, both devoted to the unique beauty of the Florida Gulf Coast beaches. He has a broad knowledge of the native and exotic plants and animals of the Gulf Coast.

I asked David to write a guest post for Pug's News From The Beach. This is that post. I know you'll enjoy it. ~ Diana



If you look at a map of Florida, you'll see that with few exceptions all of the population centers are on the coast. In the state's early years settlers depended on boats to transport people, produce and goods, and they were involved heavily on the fishing industry.

But most of us living in Florida today didn't live during “the old days.” Modern population centers have developed near the coast because we love the beach and the coastal lifestyle. We use the beaches as a playground and as a place to rest, relax, unwind, recharge our batteries, and “get away from it all.”

I've often wondered what it is I love about the beach, and why it keeps calling me back. I believe it is so special to me, and to us, because it is the meeting of two worlds: the domesticated land, and the wild, unpredictable sea. There is something rejuvenating about standing at the edge of a vast untamed water wilderness, full of mystery and surprises. That our sun both rises out of and falls into the seas that surround us makes the beach all the more compelling.


Anna Maria Island photo by David McRee

It is only natural that our love of the beach fosters within us a desire to protect it. We are brought together as friends by our common goal of good stewardship toward our coast. We pick up trash, monitor turtle nests, count birds, rescue injured wildlife, study water quality, plant sea oats, and cast a critical eye toward coastal engineering projects.

If you love the beach, and if you want that love to grow and bear fruit; if you want to connect with others that share your love, consider reaching out to groups of like-minded people. Attend some of the events held by local organizations: a lecture, a beach clean-up day, or visit a coastal wildlife rehabilitation center.

Attend a birding festival, join a kayak club, or volunteer to help with a scientific project like the right whale monitoring project or sea grass planting. You'll be amazed at how you will deepen and develop your love of the beach. And it will all come back to you many-fold.

About David McRee: David is the author of Florida Beaches: Finding Your Paradise on the Lower Gulf Coast, a guide to the beaches of southwest Florida. You can find David on the web at BeachHunter.net and BlogTheBeach.com.

I encourage you to use your favorite search engine to find beach related activities in your area. ~ Diana
To read the piece I wrote for David's blog click here.