Posted by Twelvebit (Victoria, United States) on 18 July 2007 in Landscape & Rural.
People walking, and combing the beach for shells, near the jetties at South Padre Island, in winter. Thirty years ago this beach used to be full of shells, including relatively fragile "sand dollars." Now the beach is littered mostly with pieces of shells, whole shells are rare, and whole "sand dollars" practically non-existent.
The environmental damage in this area of South Texas is astounding, through probably not obvious to anyone who didn't live there thirty or more years ago. People still go fishing and boating and beach combing. There are still some fish left in the bay, though most, if not all, of the shrimp are gone. The offshore shrimping industry is virtually non-existent. The objects that wash up on the beach are mostly the discarded trash of passing ships; and the "shells," well, if you want shells, best buy them from a local shell shop that has imported them from Central or South America.
VFXY Photos | Cool Photoblogs | Listed on Photoblogs.org
This is so unfortunate. Is anything being done to protect the eviorment of the South Texas coast line?
18 Jul 2007 3:43pm
@Bob: I don't live in the immediate area anymore, so I'm not sure exactly what is going on there. Certainly some things are being done --like cleaning the trash from the beach. However, the beach stretches for a good 140 miles or so and the cleanup tends to only take places near the population centers in the areas that see lots of visitors. Last time I was in one of the more remote locations it was covered with trash from passing ships.
Some of the problems are simply the result of more people, over-fishing, and over-use, and not a lot can be done about it. Some of the problems are complicated and perhaps not well understood --such as oxygen levels in the bays-- so a solution may not be obvious even if the political and economic forces are properly aligned.
Most people visiting will be unaware of these problems and probably not see any outwards signs. I grew up there, so I remember the differences.
How sad. it looks such a beautiful place.
19 Jul 2007 12:07am
@MaryB: As I replied to Bob, the outward signs probably don't suggest problems to most visitors. It's still a nice beach and coastal area; it's just not what it was when I was growing up there.
Great light and contrast, nice composition too. Its good to hear your story behind the shot too.
20 Jul 2007 3:19pm
@Daroru: Thank you. I used to read all those photo books that said not to take pictures in the middle of the day because of the harsh shadows, and I didn't. Now I take this kind of "advice" with a grain of salt. Yeah, I think a photographer should understand the process; but then I think he should try to forget the "rules."
PREVIEW ONLY
Add your comment ...
OLYMPUS C3000Z1/400 secondF/11.0ISO 10020 mm
beachislandtexassouthpadrejetties
12 Bit Photo
#gallery d45acc34122a070be07aa142a027c63c
#gallery 53fff04f95749464651e24ef46cd4102
#gallery 6f111030099bc345b845604bd56c7437
12 Bit Photo