Avast Me Hearties,
So much has happened
this month…some is really weighing heavy on my heart and would really like your
help with…we also have great news about the recently completed 25 Mile 2014
Paddle…
First this month was
Gumbo Limbo the Sea Turtle Hospital…this is a really amazing place…it disturbs me
greatly that US is #7 in the world for finning- this is so horrid, I will ask
you to google the meaning…I also noted a number of turtles were being hurt due
to be sucked into energy intakes…please tell me if we know this, why are there
no grates over these intakes…our water tables are being hurt by the phosphate
in the water being released from those same plants…again, why do we not put up
forested pipes to clean the water before putting it back in system…lastly, if
you live on the coast and have a porch light- PLEASE use yellow, green, amber
or blue bulbs…it makes a difference to all of the costal creatures…please ask
your representatives for help, these very small things will make a BIG
difference…
My next stop was the
Dolphin Research Center…did you know Dolphins and Orca are cousins…many animals
for a holy host of reasons cannot be released and much like a handi-capable child, they need special homes…they are treated like family and
loved- this is HIGHLY visible…this is a place that works with special needs children- OMG
touches you heart to watch...to see the trainers just hanging out with the dolphins was so cool…the babies chatted with me swam around for me…there
is one who enjoys ‘people watching’ so much that the trainers have to keep SPF
on him…if you get to Grassy Key it is well worth the stop...did you know one adult dolphin eat 60 pounds of restaurant quality fish per day
Because I am the Girly
Pirate, I get to go behind the scenes…I am not a major celebrity so people act
naturally around me…currently there is a horrid move about orca running about…let
me speak on a few things of what I observe…all of these places I have been are
VERY clean…animals are well fed with top quality food…the are usually happy...as with every animal, a nose may get bent
out of shape from time to time…when this does happen BAD things can happen as
these are big animals (like a cow or horse or elephant)…the people who work
there keep safety a priority…did you know cows kill 6 times the amount of
humans as sharks do…that being said why does Discovery not have a ‘cow week’…because
of money and ratings…the movie was made to provoke people and make money- not
to help the animals…Dawn is looking down from heaven crying- these people used
her death to hurt the animals she loved…her poor family has to see all this
crapp in the news…I plead with you to ‘Blacklist Blackfish’...
The best for last…I
MADE IT ALL 25 MILES!!!!! I left from Hudson Beach at 6 am and arrived at
Anclote River Park at 2pm…Sunshine Paddle 2014 is complete…The Helping Hands
Food Bank and Sunrise of Pasco Shelter will each get a check for $150…Applebees
of Wesley Chapel gave a few gift certificates for workers…we also had an anonymous
donor give a brand new piece of baby furniture for the shelter…when I launched
it was really crappy weather so I had the water to myself…it is hard to explain
how beautiful and amazing the trip was…I got to play with dolphins and 2 notch
met up with me along the route…they were all quite encouraging…as I saw Walter
waiting onshore…the feeling that was left in my heart is ‘peace be with you’…
Carry On,
Captain D
The Girly Pirate
