West Florida Sea Life Head South

The Englewood, Florida Sun-Herald reports that a bizarre freeway of fish swimming by the thousands along the shore of Englewood Beach on Thursday morning left crowds of beach-goers agog and marine biologists bewildered. Witnesses reported a wide variety of sea creatures swimming south in a narrow band close to the beach at mid-morning. Included in the swarm were large groups of shrimp, blue crabs the size of dinner plates, grouper, snapper, red fish and flounder. They were joined by more usual species, including sea robins, needlefish and eels. The fish were moving in a narrow band in about 18 inches of water. The moving mass of sea life stretched for approximately a mile. Some fish washed ashore, then fipped and struggled until they flopped back into the water to rejoin the swarm. More than 100 pelicans bombarded the fish, but no sharks or other predators were visible.