Monthly Archives: August 2026

Feeling Crabby 🦀

Boating often starts out like this. Ed and I are traveling on our trawler, Finito, and beauty is all around us, but for some reason, I feel crabby.

I think it has something to do with adapting to my role as “first-mate.” It is difficult for me to take orders; it always has been. First-mate is a big job but it is not Captain. I am not in charge.

I know that It is good to be humbled and I have been through this before, especially in 2024-25 when Ed and I took one year to complete the 6000 miles of America’s Great Loop. Thank goodness we had Luna and Okee with us. This year we have Diesel and Okee.

— Luna RIP🐾🌈

Diesel and Okee are good boaters and great companions!

This crabbiness? I will snap out of it in a day or two, but in the meanwhile, I keep seeing crabs. I feel like Mother Nature is empathizing with me!

For instance, this morning, in New Smyrna, blue crabs were swim-dancing as they floated by- wading birds perched on boat transoms trying to catch one for breakfast.

At our first stop along the Intracoastal, Vero Beach, there were magnificent oak trees, a book exchange, pin fish breeding by the docks, and a 5-acre dog park. When I was walking Diesel, I noticed a beautiful orange and blue land crab trying to make a life among floritam grass and expansive pavement. It ran into its hole as we approached. It made me recall as a girl growing up in Stuart when thousands of land crabs would make their way from the mangrove swamps and rivers’ edges to the ocean. What a sight to see!

Over the years in Martin County, AIA along Hutchinson Island was developed, mosquito ditches expanded, roads widened, and condominiums replaced dunes, and mangrove swamps were filled in for more condos or million- dollar homes. Eventually, it became all but impossible for the land crabs to make their annual migration to the sea . This is a non negotiable for the females as they must deposit their eggs in the ocean.

While following their urge to procreate they had to cross the highways and roads. They were crushed by cars – by the hundreds and by the thousands. Over time, their habitat was almost entirely gone and few crabs survived. But no person seemed to care. “They’re just crabs….and who cares about the food chain! ”

The Florida Wildlife Commission limits harvest but does not close roads as is the case in Australia’s Christmas Island that has made a tourist event of their amazing land crab migration.

I think this attitude of man over nature is the basic problem with our society, instead of trying to live with especially non-charasmatic native species, or at least protecting them in a humane way, we often opt for just plowing them over…

Anyway, I better stop, I know I’m sounding “crabby.”

After Vero, Ed and I also stopped in Cocoa Village, another favorite, because of their awesome historic downtown. But like the land crabs one has to navigate two major highways to get to the downtown, praying the whole time that someone missing the light after coming down the bridge doesn’t hit you at 50 miles an hour. Ed, being impatient, ignores the WALK signs and jaywalks — with Diesel training behind. Me? I can’t do it. I wait. I am a cautious like a crab…

I actually am a crab if you believe in astrology. This ancient star-language of the Babylonians, the Greeks, then the Romans says that because my birthday falls on June 29th, my zodiac sign is Cancer- the crab🦀

“Represented by the moon, cancer is a cardinal water sign known for deep emotional sensitivity, strong intuitive abilities, and a fierce dedication to home and family. Weaknesses include being moody, overly sensitive, defensive, and prone to clinging or isolation. Just like a crab with a hard outer shell and a soft interior, Cancers project a tough or cautious exterior to protect their sensitive soul.”

Goodness! That sounds about right!

Bottle-nosed IRL dolphins welcome us to the Space Coast!

At Cocoa Village Marina we were welcomed by bottlenose dolphins and witnessed the Space-X liftoff across the Indian River Lagoon at Cape Canaveral. It was amazing. Inspirational really. But I did wonder how many crabs and other animals got burned up or sprayed with chemicals at the liftoff site located on the Bannana River – part of the Indian River Lagoon – and natural lands region of Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt island National Wildlife Refuge. 🦀 Oh, I’m so crabby!

Next we stopped at New Smyrna Marina only a few files away from the Turnbull Settlement of 1768 where over 1200 people from Menorca, Greece and Italy worked as indentured servants on an enormous indigo plantation until they rebelled for being treated like slaves half dying and half walking to St. Augustine to plea to the British Governor for refuge which was granted. I guess they were feeling crabby too! 🙂

As I look forward, I see the Halifax River and St. Augustine lies ahead. Maybe I can convince my Captian to take a break and eat Greek food? Then I’ll be as happy as a clam!

Looking Back to Look Forward- the EAA Reservoir

On August 7th, 2026, in Stuart, Florida, the Everglades Foundation held a day of remembrance — a day of remembrance for the day Senate Presidient Joe Negron, in 2016, held a press conference announcing the goal of the Everglades Agricultural Reservoir to combat the toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River.

Now it’s 10 years later…

Yes, now it’s 2026 and the EAA Reservoir is a priority of the state and federal government as put forth by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District.

This is a remarkable accomplishment. Actually, all things considered, it is an impossible accomplishment. We must remember that “perfection is the enemy of the good.” We will get there…

In the meanwhile let’s remember that day and the condition of the St. Lucie River Indian River Lagoon at that time, and remember why we remember. Thank you to the Everglades Foundation for helping us to look back to look forward.

~Announcement Day, City of Stuart. Various dignitaries and members of the public.

8-10-16, Stuart, FL Reservoir announcement Sen. Pres. Joe Negron

78-10-16 Senate President Joe Negron announces EAA Reservoir goal, Stuart FL. JTL & River Kidz co-founder Evie Flaugh to J.N.’s right.

8-10-26 Presidient Negron’s EAA Res. map

Photographs of the St. Lucie River/IRL and toxic algae in Atlantic Ocean in 2016 – “The Lost Year….” due to toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Gov. Rick Scott had the area under a State of Emergency.

Various photographs of the St. Lucie River Indian River Lagoon’s toxic algae outbreak due to releases from Lake Okeechobee in 2016, including photos from pilot Dave Stone, pilot Scott Kuhns, River Warrior Rebecca Fatzinger, and pilot Ed Lippisch/JTL. Also — Evan Miller’s BUY THE LAND beach photo..

Scott L.Kuhns -C44 Canal or St. Lucie Canal – toxic water coming from Lake O

Below is the Atlantic Ocean on June 29, 2016. The toxic plume was 3 miles out from the inlet as described by FDEP.

Ed and I were ten years younger in 2016 and full blown River Warriors at that time. I am proud of the progress made that everyone was part of from the Stuart News, Martin County, the City of Stuart, all the NGOs, the Rivers Coalition and most important the grassroots movement of kids, River Kids, parents, and grandparents that exploded changing the world and the fate of our state. Thank you Joe Negron for putting it all out there. We will not allow the Reservoir to be highjacked; it is built of Martin County’s flesh, blood and heart and we know that there is work to do!

Ed and I in 2016

The Sea Hare Story

Atlantic black sea hare, one of hundreds/thousands, washed up on Martin County beaches 7-29-26

I wanted to relax so I drove out to the ocean. Choosing Ross Witham Beach at the House of Refuge, I figured late in the day it wouldn’t be crowded so I could have the beach all to myself. Well, that was not to be the case.

Once I walked past the Anastasia rocks, the beach was covered with hundreds of strange looking sea slugs specifically known as Atlantic black sea hares. They had washed up on the beach by the hundreds or thousands. These seemingly shell-less mollusk are named “hares” because they have rhinophores that look like droopy bunny ears. These bunny ears are used for smell, taste, and finding a mate, although interestingly enough apparently they are “simultaneous hermaphrodites.”

Beached they are blob-like, but swimming they are as graceful as an angels. Some on the beach were flattened like pancakes and they baked in the sun. I picked one up that looked completely dead but it moved about in my hand – so strange – like ripples in water – leaving a small purple stain in my palm. “Don’t you want to return to the sea bottom and eat more algae?” I inquired. The sea slug sat silent once again releasing purple ink into my hand.

(Video of swimming Atlantic black sea hare featuring rabbit-like head tentacles and wing like flaps, SWFTV.)

“Wow, ink, like an octopus.” I mused, and tossed the little snail into the sea.

Anastasia rock protects the House of Refuge from the ocean – to get to the beach one has to walk over or around…

I turned south and kept walking keeping my eyes on the horizon. If I lowered my head for even a second I saw more sea hares, some in the waves, some on the shore, some dry and shriveled all the way back at the high tide line.

“I did not come here to spend my time throwing back sea hares” I said to myself. “Nature’s tough. Some make it, some don’t…. Just keep walking…..You need the exercise…..”

A little voice inside my head said: “What’s wrong with you Jacqui? Don’t you remember the Starfish Story?”

“Yes, of course I do.” I answered myself.

In fact I knew the story by heart:

One day a man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a boy hurriedly picking up and gently throwing things into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “Young man, what are you doing?”

The boy replied “Throwing the starfish back into the ocean . The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

The man laughed to himself and said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make any difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said,

“I made a difference to that one.”

I heard loud and clear: “It’s a Sea Hare Story…”

So I began collecting the sea hares, little ones, medium sized ones, big ones, almost dead ones, freshly delivered from the sea ones, and then one by one and sometimes in groups, throwing them back into the ocean. In many cases the waves just brought them right back, but if the timing was good, a few went out to sea out beyond the churning waves of the shoreline.

It wasn’t the walk I had counted on, but I’m glad my better angel prevailed. It is always so temping to give up.