The Lagoon Was Once an Aquatic Wonderland

by William To for Marine Resources Council

Once upon a time, the Indian River Lagoon was the image of vacation snapshots and postcards. Lush mangroves lined the shore, while boats and docks floated above swaths of unbelievably clear water, as if suspended over the sandy, grassy bottom of the lagoon.

Growing up on the water in Titusville, Laurilee Thompson a local fisherman and co-owner of Dixie Crossroads restaurant, remembers a vibrant, close-knit community blessed by an extraordinary degree of natural beauty.

“In the 1960s,” Thompson recalls, “a stroll down any dock was like wandering over a giant aquarium. Even though it was more than 10 feet deep out there, the water was so clear that you could see the fish swimming right up to your boat.”

Read the complete article at Florida Today.