Reflection on what I have learned so far:

 

After reading arguments both for and against, I have realized that the idea of reopening Midnight Pass is not as cut and dry as I had originally anticipated. There are numerous conflicting values associated with the area. When picturing water flowing again between Casey Key and Siesta Key, one reflects back on what it must have been like prior to closing when there was less development and the waters a bit cleaner. There is historical value in returning something to its original state when man had not yet wreaked havoc on it. Those who argue that dredging a new inlet would destroy the new ecosystem that has developed certainly are right, but others would say that reverting back to what the ecosystem was would be better. Long-time residents who are familiar with the waterways agree that the sacrifices required are secondary to the benefits gained by bringing Midnight Pass back to its previous glory. It was a well-known spot for all types of recreation, a place of beauty where one could see the Bay pulsating with life as it interchanged its life-sustaining fluids with the great body that is the Gulf of Mexico. It remains a frequented place for paddlers and boaters, but it has a weakened appeal for those who know what should be there instead.

 

However, the surprising fact that most environmental groups and agencies are opposed to the plan has given me pause in whole-heartedly supporting the “Let it flow!” movement. Isn’t it clear that correcting a scar that humans induced on the area is an inherently good thing? What the opponents argue is that Mother Nature has taken what we dealt her and made something out of it; namely, a hatchery for small fish and crabs with intermittent seagrass beds. Numerous mangrove islands that serve as bird hatcheries could be threatened by pass opening. They claim that the “null zone” isn’t as bad as some who want the pass open are proposing. Also, the cost tag of over $30 million to complete the pass project is giving many a serious pause over pushing forward on this project.

 

In the end, it comes down to the fact that Midnight Pass was closed so two prominent homeowners could protect their private property. At that time, and arguably in the present time, the value of private property and one’s material possessions were placed above the natural environment. As a matter of principle, regardless of the negative consequences that may be inflicted on the minimal ecosystem that has subsequently developed, Midnight Pass should flow again to show that we Sarasotans do care about our waterways and are not willing to always condone damage to the ecosystem when human-centered values come into conflict with it. Let’s make this an example for the rest of the nation.