The fight for Florida’s waters didn’t start in a boardroom. It started on the bow of a skiff. We didn’t ask for this fight. We were just fishing guides in South Florida—spending more waking hours on the water than on dry land. We made a living chasing tarpon and snook, sharing the magic of wild Florida with anyone willing to step aboard. It was the best job in the world.Then, our waters started dying.Billions of gallons of toxic water from Lake Okeechobee were flushed into our estuaries. We watched in horror as seagrass meadows withered away, oyster beds vanished, and massive algae blooms suffocated life itself—fish, dolphins, turtles, manatees.Our beaches stank of death. The charter calls stopped coming. Our way of life crumbled before our eyes. This wasn’t some natural cycle. It was a man-made crisis, engineered and maintained by one of the most powerful, politically connected, and corrupt special interests in the world: Big Sugar. They’ve controlled Florida’s water for decades, rigging the system to protect their bottom line while communities and ecosystems pay the price. They bankroll politicians, bury science, and poison public trust—all to keep the status quo.We were supposed to stay quiet. To look the other way.But we didn’t. We stood up. A ragtag group of fishing guides—no money, no platform, just a fire in our bellies and an unshakable love for our waters. We started Captains For Clean Water to fight back.Because this isn’t just about fishing. It’s about clean drinking water for 9 million people. It’s about reviving ecosystems and rebuilding fisheries. It’s about protecting the beating heart of Florida’s tourism economy and preserving one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth.This episode of our podcast is the heart of our story.It’s our origin, our fight, and the truth that powerful interests don’t want you to hear. It’s the story of the largest ecosystem restoration project ever attempted in human history, and the everyday people who refuse to give up.
