rake the beach (I am not kidding, this really happened)

[Miyon]

Few years ago my family rented a beach house on Hilton Head Island and on the second night the Fish and Wildlife people came and asked us to not leave the backyard lights on at night because the turtles would be hatching any day now and they didnt want them to come toward the house lights instead of the moonlight.
We had no problem with it, and were mostly in awe that the turtle nests were right past the bushes in the backyard.
Also pretty sure there was no beach raking going on because of the nests.

I couldnt even imagine how some of those SC's Dave gets would flip out if they were told to keep the lights out at night.

[NightAngel]

This is why beaches get raked:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/...186b8fd811.jpg


Seaweed and other debris, trash, etc. comes up and covers the beach. Frequently there will be Jellyfish intermingled and they are darn near impossible to see in all that muck. Just because a Jellyfish is dead doesn't mean if you step on the stinger it won't sting you. Not to mention glass, rocks, trash, dead fish, etc. The stench is awful.

After a few days you can barely see the sand.

Here is a properly raked beach (Clearwater, FL):
http://hotels.uptake.com/blog/files/...ater-beach.jpg

My fave beach- Sand Key Park:
http://www.mygetawayforless.com/top1...20vacation.jpg
http://www.pinellascounty.org/virtua..._beachoats.htm

Sand Key is a sea turtle hatching area. The beach gets raked- the turtles actually nest up in the sea oats away from the water. You are not allowed to walk in the seaoats and when it's time for them to hatch volunteers follow the babies as they make their journey to the water.

Personally, if I rented a vaction spot and the beach raking was neglected I'd be pissed.

[Tito]

Guest: Dave, thats not satisfactory....for all the money I have paid, you shouldnt allow the beach to get like this in the first place. I want this beach raked and I want it done now.

Um, yeah, and if you worked for him, that probably would have meant something.

Wouldn't you have loved to have been able to tell him to go grab a rake, and have at it?

[Jester]

"The sky's too cloudy!

the ocean...it's too cold...

...cool down the beach sands too. The heat is burning my feet and when you're done with that you need to strain the ocean to remove all the jellyfish.."

Okay, these situations were exaggerated, but there is nothing in the above "requests" or "demands" that I have not heard tourists bitching about down here.

"It's too cloudy!"
"It's too cold!"
"It's raining!"
"The beaches suck!"
"What's with all the seaweed?"
"There were so many jellyfish!"

Now, I work in a bar, so these people complaining to me about their experiences in Key West are not going to do so expecting ME to do anything about these situations. But a lot of them, I would not put it past them to bitch to the resort they are staying at, or management at the state park's beach, or the lifeguard, or their travel agent, or whoever.

People come to the tropics and are stunned when it rains. Reminds me of the people that would come to Phoenix...you know, the desert?....and be surprised that it was so damn hot!

[Soulstealer]

Personally, if I rented a vaction spot and the beach raking was neglected I'd be pissed.

Yeah but these are Dave's guests. What they consider not being raked is probably not what a normal person would.

[NightAngel]

Yeah but these are Dave's guests. What they consider not being raked is probably not what a normal person would.

Huh.

I got the impression they didn't bother at all. Probably since he said they don't do that.