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It’s hard to believe – even for us – but it’s been nearly five years since Bay Soundings published its inaugural edition in the summer of 2002. Much has changed over that time, but much remains the same.
Created to promote conservation and inspire increased public interest in the region’s namesake estuary, Bay Soundings chronicles the news and issues affecting the bay, while profiling the people and places, creatures and habitat that make it so compelling. In-depth coverage of timely topics offer best-available science written for non-scientific readers, while features like “Backbay Adventures” invite readers to see more of the magnificent waterworld we live in.
Our audience has grown to more than 8,000 subscribers – including opinion leaders – as well as distribution of another 22,000 copies through 250 targeted outlets across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco counties. Our website, at www.baysoundings.com, attracts visitors from all over the world – more than a half-million already this year with about 4,500 hits on an average day.
Later in May, we’ll attend the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2007 Sunshine State Awards banquet to accept an award in their special interest publications category. They don’t tell you what place you’ve won until then, but the list of other winners includes the state’s top publications, from dailies and weeklies to well-known magazines.
We wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of our favorite stories, many of which are just as important now as they were when first published. We’ve also included our reader’s favorite stories, as told by their online requests for pages.
- What’s in a Name?, Summer 2002, details the colorful history of Tampa Bay as shown in the names of places like Cockroach Bay, Hooker’s Point and Whiskey Stump Key.
- Egmont Key: Wildlife Flocks to Manmade Beach, Fall 2002. Nesting birds and sea turtles – including 30 successful turtle nests – surprise experts by returning to beaches on Egmont Key.
- Bat Fans, Winter 2003. Exploding the myths about bats, and tips on encouraging them to live nearby, including directions for building a bat house.
- Dream Boats, Spring 2003. Lazzara Yachts makes building boats a family affair from a high-tech plant on Tampa Bay’s eastern shore.
- How Well Prepared Are We? Summer 2003. Ten years after the devastating 1993 oil spill, Tampa Bay is far more prepared for another disaster – but some shortfalls still have not been addressed.
- Bird stories are always favorites with articles in Summer 2002, Spring 2003 and again in Spring 2004.
- Charting the Course for Recovery, Winter 2006. Tampa Bay’s recovery has made the estuary the envy of the nation, but it was a long and winding road.
- Building Better, Smarter, Spring 2006. Even “suits” are going green at the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.
- Red Tide, Fall 2006. Scientists are beginning to unravel the mystery of the toxic red tide that kills fish, turtles, birds, manatees and dolphin in southwest Florida
Article originally published Spring 2007.
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