is the water in choctawhatchee bay safe?

[jack fish]

i recently used a piece of driftwood from the bay for a campfire starter, and when i lit it, it burned as if it had been soaked in petroleum and emitted a dark black smoke. does anyone know any recent water quality studies done on the bay? and for that matter are the shellfish safe to eat, as well as the fish from the bay?

 

[stellala]

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) - Northwest District

Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

 

[beachmouse]

There is still some commercial fishing in Choctaw Bay. You can see the boats and their lights out every so often at night. And, except during periods of heavy rainfall, water quality is generally safe for swimming and such.

But I'd be wary of anything that came from disturbed sediment areas of the bay because only God and the Joint Chiefs know what the Air Force has dropped there over the years.

 

[jack fish]

There is still some commercial fishing in Choctaw Bay. You can see the boats and their lights out every so often at night. And, except during periods of heavy rainfall, water quality is generally safe for swimming and such.

But I'd be wary of anything that came from disturbed sediment areas of the bay because only God and the Joint Chiefs know what the Air Force has dropped there over the years.

sounds like it's a big "UNKNOWN"

 

[Smiling JOe]

Your "driftwood" could be a piece of pressure treated lumber, which produces highly toxic fumes when burned.

 

[John]

Your "driftwood" could be a piece of pressure treated lumber, which produces highly toxic fumes when burned.

Indeed. Or maybe a good old fashioned creosote treatment.

 

[jodiFL]

that piece of wood could have very easily been what some folks refer to as "lighter knot" or even antique "heart pine" which is just basically pine that is dead. They did harvest the sap for turpentine for years around here and I have several old stumps in my yard that will burn for months if lit. They even smell just like gasoline when you cut them with a chain saw. As for the food and water safety... I eat the redfish and crab that we catch there and can only remember one time in the last 20 years they closed it and that was due to red tide.

 

[AAbsolute]

There is still some commercial fishing in Choctaw Bay. You can see the boats and their lights out every so often at night. And, except during periods of heavy rainfall, water quality is generally safe for swimming and such.

But I'd be wary of anything that came from disturbed sediment areas of the bay because only God and the Joint Chiefs know what the Air Force has dropped there over the years.

I think it is pretty well documented now. http://www.sowal.com/bb/all-about-sowal/22043-what-those-posts-water.html

 

[ShallowsNole]

A prevailing opinion among most of Freeport and the SoWallers who grew up here is that the shrimp from Choctawhatchee Bay are the best in the entire world. So if there is anything odd in our water, whatever it is, it makes the shrimp taste better.

(At least that's my story - I refuse to allow my illusion to be shattered!)

 

[AAbsolute]

A prevailing opinion among most of Freeport and the SoWallers who grew up here is that the shrimp from Choctawhatchee Bay are the best in the entire world. So if there is anything odd in our water, whatever it is, it makes the shrimp taste better.

(At least that's my story - I refuse to allow my illusion to be shattered!)

RUFKM? Did I say that right? I have been waiting to use it for a couple weeks now. I can't remember where I first heard it;-)

I lived on the bay and lost many hours learning to cast a net while in waist deep water. I never took ill from anything while I was there.