Furlong Family Florida Vacation

It was that time again - family vacation time! These trips are always unique in their own way, and this one was no different. For the first time ever there was a 3-way tie for Dad's Dessert Dinner Quiz - Lauren, Hunter, and me. (A huge disappointment for me considering I actually studied this year!) Last year was the first vacation of an official family of 6, but this year Dad's "third daughter," Whitney, and her husband, JJ, were able to join us for a a day or two. We also had one very UNinvited guest - the oil.

We were fortunate. We arrived late Friday night and had beautiful weather until Wednesday. Once the oil arrived, so did all the other inconveniences that come with it - helicopter fly-bys every half hour, fencing closing the beach, tractors filtering the sand, workers to clean the sand, and many other things. I think pictures can sometimes explain things better than words...

Trying to keep the beach clean

The tractor brought in to filter the oil from the sand (seen in the back)

The view down the beach - notice the black fence brought in to close the water from the public

The view from the umbrella - the black silt fence and the coast guard helicopter

Again, we had beautiful weather, great food, and of course a lot of fun. The oil didn't stay for too long. We couldn't help but think about how bad it could get or what would happen if more oil washed up or the worst - what will happen if they can't stop it? We talked about how long it would stay and how the beach would change and I couldn't help but wonder if my own kids will one day be able to play on the white sandy beaches and build sand animals the way I was able to as a kid. On the last day, Lauren and I were fortunate enough to spend about an hour on the beach. Here is what we had to leave behind and the image I will remember of the beach...