Sierra Club Miami Next General Meeting August 11

The speaker for this meeting will be a rep from Carnival Cruise Lines who will talk about the challenges the cruise line faces trying to be "green".

The Miami Sierra Club holds a general meeting each month for people to come and meet fellow Sierrans, hear a guest speaker on an environmental topic, sign up for outings, and volunteer to help on issues in South Florida. The Sailing Club where we now hold out meetings is located at 2990 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, right next to Peacock Park.

Meeting night is the second Monday of every month and doors normally open at 7 p.m. We start with outings signup and socializing and the guest speaker/program begins at 8 p.m. For membership and meeting information call Ken Smith at 305-801-6876. For more Miami Group information, sign up for our monthly e-news below.

Sierra Club & Beer Night - August 19

These get-togethers take place on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 PM at the Titanic Brewery, 5813 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables (near US1 and South end of Univ. of Miami). Each month's gathering features a different environmental topic with opportunity for discussion and learning. You can meet and socialize with others who share concern for the environment. Plus, you get a free beer just for showing up.

Sierra & Beer is a great way to learn about issues that effect us in South Florida, while having fun meeting people. All are welcome, but only those over 21 will be served alcohol. For more information send an email to Mike Mathews anakanpa@yahoo.com, or call Ken Smith at 305-801-6876.

Sierra Singles

The Miami Group Outings have always been a fun way for singles to meet, but for those looking for a less energetic setting, we have Sierra Singles Nights. People concerned about the environment who wish to meet others for fun and entertainment are invited to join us. Ken Smith and Margarita Borda organize these nights for us, and encourage you to step out and bring a friend. Couples are welcome in all our events but please bring those single friends along.

Some of our recent activities were: Gallery Night at Books and Books, Dinner and a Museum at the Museum of South Florida, Happy Hour in Coconut Grove and a Shark Valley Evening Bike Trip. We also try and make it to the Sierra & Brew nights on the third Tuesday of every month (see above).

Anyone want to try some snorkeling in the keys? Have you got an activity you would like to propose? Please call Ken Smith at 305-801-6876 for more information or to suggest an activity for our schedule.

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Notices

Book Review: Hell's Bay

Our favorite Florida keys anti-hero, Thorn, is dragged back out of his peaceful hole in Key Largo once again in James Hall's newest novel Hell's Bay. The book starts out with a murder on the Peace River, runs through a swamp full of strange people and an outrageous and powerful Florida family, and ends up with page turning excitement in, of course, Hell's Bay. In the process, we get to learn about the horrors of phosphate mining and fishing charters so we would never, ever, want to be near either one.

Dr. Hall has been living and teaching in South Florida for many years and when you pick up one of his novels, you get to visit some familiar places, but it is often like traveling with a very disturbed guide. The book opens with a canoe trip down the Peace River. He describes precisely what you would see on a beautiful section of the river - a section which Miami Sierrans have traveled - and then just as precisely describes the killing of a solo canoeist. Other points of interest on the wild ride of this novel include picturesque sections of central Florida complete with the oaks of Horse Creek and the horror of gypsum stacks and phosphate mining. And then there are some wonderful pages describing the beauty of Hell's Bay, accompanied by a terrifying alligator encounter which will have you holding your breath till it ends.

The main character in Hell's Bay, Thorn, was introduced in Hall's early novel, Under Cover of Daylight. Thorn has always been a mystery man with an unknown past and a not so certain future. In each book, Hall has to drag him away from another boring day in paradise to go hunt down the bad guys. In this novel, we finally find out who his parents were and what happened to them, and we meet some relatives that we wish we hadn't. We also get a good look at the character and skills of Thorn's best friend, Sugarman, as he spends his time in central Florida with the phosphate mining issue, while Thorn is on the fishing charter from hell.

This book is tough to put down once you start reading. There are plot twists and turns to please any mystery fan, odd and evil characters to watch, threats to the environment, and a chilling description of the darker side of water and wildlife in Hell's Bay. Floridians will enjoy looking around through Hall's eyes, and fans of Thorn will enjoy the unusual way he works things out in the end.

Hell's Bay is published by St. Martin's Press. Other books by James W. Hall include Gone Wild, Blackwater Sound, Body Language and Magic City. He has been a frequent guest at the Miami Book Fair, and was introduced to a group of Miami Sierrans on a trip to the Dry Tortugas.

Betsy Grass

Awards

The Sierra Club Miami Group has some great volunteers. Actually, we think everyone who volunteers is great!. But sometimes, our members are just so outstanding that they get recognition from the entire Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club, and from National Sierra. Some of our recent "famous" people are;

Mark Walters - Received National recognition for his outstanding work for Inner City Outings in Miami.

Barbara Lange - Received a Panther Award from the Florida Chapter for outstanding conservation work on the "Lakebelt" mining issue (a nice sounding name for government sanctioned destruction of Everglades). Barbara had worked on this issue since 1999, despite serious pressure from promoters from the mining companies.

Dr. James Gross - Received a Manatee Award from the Florida chapter for his dedication and hard work on the Miami Group Newsletter. Jim was the first Editor and Publisher of the Group newsletter some thirty years ago, and has worked on the newsletter committee ever since.

Betsy Grass - Was honored by the Florida Chapter with its Dolphin Award, given to persons with an outstanding record of consistent. long-term, service to the Chapter, for her work on the Florida Chapter Directory. Betsy also received the Miami Group Medal, for her many years of service to the Group as Newsletter Editor, Group Chair, and other volunteer activities.

Outings
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