Naples Luxury Real Estate Blog

The Stingray Shuffle is an endearing term the Naples locals know well. There are many amazing creatures that can be found in our beautiful Gulf beaches, and the stingray is one of them. Since it's "Stingray Season" here in Southwest Florida, here is some useful information about stingrays to ensure your time at the beach is enjoyable this summer.

Stingrays spend their time in the shallow water along the shore, which is also where small children and other non-swimmers spend their beach days. They are typically not threatening, so they won't just randomly attack. The majority of stingray stings happen because the stingray is scared and is only trying to protect itself. That's why we do the Stingray Shuffle, which basically means that instead of walking normally, you want to drag your feet a little. By dragging your feet, you're more likely to bump into a stingray than step on it, so instead of attacking you, it will scurry off.

If you happen to forget to shuffle and do end up stepping on a stingray, you should probably seek medical attention as soon as you can. Stingrays aren't venemous, but the sting does hurt. Mostly that's because of the puncture wound itself though. As with any wound, it can get infected so you should have it looked at by a professional.

For more information on stingrays and other creatures living in the Naples Gulf beaches, check out this site. And remember to watch the signs at the beach for tips on what native sealife is hanging out on the shore!

Have a safe and sunny summer!

Labels: Environment, Naples Attractions, Summer Activities in Naples

We all want to do our part to keep Naples beautiful. You might be surprised by how much energy you can conserve in your Naples home with just a few easy adjustments. Here are a few quick tips that will save you time and money, without affecting your Naples lifestyle.

1. Keep things like lamps and other heat-making appliances away from your thermostat. Your thermostat will sense the heat that comes from the light bulb, and your air conditioner will kick on even if it's not warm in the rest of your house.

2. Invest in those florescent light bulbs. They are a little pricier, but well worth the extra cost. Besides, they last several times longer than standard light bulbs, so in the long run it isn't costing you anything additional.

3. Turn your air conditioner off when you aren't home, and don't leave lights on if you're not using them. Most of us probably already do this, but a reminder every now and then can't hurt!

4. Instead of a screensaver on your computer, set the monitor to turn itself off when not in use for a certain period of time. Believe it or not, screensavers use more energy than just leaving the monitor on with the desktop viewable!

5. Buy some rechargeable batteries. These are great because they're reusable, so they won't end up in the landfill in Naples or elsewhere in Collier County. They work just as well as regular batteries, and they charge fairly quickly when you need them. You can also keep a stash of fully charged batteries available for when you need them.

For many more tips to save yourself some money and keep Collier beautiful, visit the Department of Energy's website. They have a lot of helpful tips that benefit not only Naples home owners, but home owners around the country. So you can pass this along to all your snow-bird buddies!

Labels: Environment, Naples Home, Naples Real Estate