The amazing environmental revival of the beloved Midnight Pass site is masterfully detailed by Herald-Tribune staff writer Earle Kimel in his Sunday cover story, "The remarkable comeback of Sarasota's Midnight Pass."
Here's our Q-and-A with Earle on his story:
Q. Our community has had such a longtime, intense connection with Midnight Pass. So what was your approach in putting together your cover story?
This was actually my second Sunday cover piece on Midnight Pass; the first one was published in January 2025.
That piece covered the historical significance of Midnight Pass.
This story is meant to document present conditions, as well as allude to the future.
Q. What are the biggest takeaways from this story that you hope will stick with readers?
There
is a fragile and evolving ecosystem around Midnight Pass.
Prior to the 2024 hurricane season, the water quality on the bay side of Palmer Point Park and the Jim Neville Marine Preserve had been ideal as a nursery for juvenile fish and oysters.
As Ryan Gandy, executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program noted in the story, the increased water flow from the Gulf has made that area both saltier and clearer.
That's something biologists and ecologists will study as they document the changing bay.
Q. What’s the next potential chapter in this story?
With recent studies characterizing Midnight Pass as “dynamically stable” and the stated intent of Sarasota County officials to keep it open, the next chapter will evolve around how the county chooses to approach that.
What type of signs and markings will be placed to guide visitors to the inlet?
As part of that, what type of impact will visitors to Midnight Pass have on the environment?
Earle Kimel primarily covers local governments in Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook, and X. He can be reached by email at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Behind the story: Earle Kimel on the comeback of Midnight Pass
