Hands Across The Sand - stories, photos, video

[Kurt]

Activists unite on beach in protest against oil drilling - South Florida - MiamiHerald.com

Dressed in black, some 200 people stood hand in hand on South Beach on Saturday afternoon, raising and lowering their arms as surfers behind them rode the waves.
The activists wanted to make a wave or two of their own, hoping their message against oil drilling would crest upon leaders in Tallahassee.
The 10-minute display of solidarity, known as Hands Across the Sand, was replicated on other beaches along the state's east and west coasts.
The protest will be one of many demonstrations as oil drilling resurges as an issue locally and nationally, said Michael Laas, a spokesman for the Miami chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. The nonprofit was one of a slew of environmental organizations ashore for the event.
In Key West, more than 400 people formed a human sign on Smathers Beach. The people made a circle and inside it spelled out DRILL, with a line through the word.

 

[Kurt]

People hold hands across the sand to protest offshore drilling in Florida | Jacksonville.com

Scores of people lined up on the shoreline in Jacksonville Beach on Saturday afternoon and held hands for 10 minutes as they looked out at the ocean.
As part of a statewide initiative called "Hands Across the Sand," they joined thousands who planned to hold hands up and down Florida's beaches at 1:30 p.m. to protest the possibility of oil drilling off the state's coasts.
The Jacksonville Beach event, which met at the foot of Beach Boulevard, was organized by the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol. And as suggested on the project's Web site, www.handsacrossthesand.org, participants began gathering on the beach at 1 p.m.
"It's been in the news that the Legislature wants to allow offshore drilling, but we are a fragile ecological state," said Valerie Pickett of Atlantic Beach, who arrived with her daughter Dawson, 17, and neighbor Diana Froehlich, 18.
"We don't need to have the issue of possible oil spills or contamination of our waters," she said.

 

[John R]

At Greenwood Ave.

 

[Kurt]

Hundreds hold 'Hands Across the Sand' to protest oil drilling off Florida's coast

The man on the stage says it's time, and Ian, who is 8, is ready. "Yes!" he yells, and makes a break for the sand.
Ian is at Lake Worth Beach with the rest of them — a few hundred in all — for the protest. They are wearing black — the color of oil — and will line up on the sand and hold hands to let everyone know what they think of drilling off of Florida's coast. (Answer: Not much.)
Still, the legislature mulled the idea last year, and is expected to do so again. In response, activists held a protest at 80 beaches throughout the state — right then, 1 p.m. Saturday, called "Hands Across the Sand."

 

[Allifunn]

What an amazing community! I love it here!

 

[Kurt]

Video

floridatoday.com | Brevard VideoNetwork | FLORIDA TODAY

 

[Kurt]

Slideshow at Ft. DeSoto

Smilebox Playback

 

[Jdarg]

Gidget...

GREAT PICTURES!!!

WOW!!!

Hey, I'm fired up to pizz off a buncha oily Texans, anyone else with me?!!

Everyone's pictures are amazing! I am sitting here grinning and tearing up at the same time- wow!

This is the issue that will unite this community.

 

[Kurt]

Photos by Joan Vienot on Grayton Beach - thanks Joan!
www.poolpal.biz
www.331poolandbeach.com
www.poolschoolflorida.com

Walton County Commissioner Sara Commander

Sara Commander and Anita Page, Executive Director, South Walton Community Council

 

[bluecat]

Hope you folks could feel hands of those tourist who couldn't join you in body but in spirit. Thank you,everyone of you for this stand you have taken to ensure the future beauty of this special place that I love so much. Also , thanks, all of you who took pictures.