Bradenton/Tampa/Sarasota... red tide..Beach

[Fabooliss]

HELP!!!
I was was all set to book us into a lovely little hotel near Sarasota, just 100ft from the beach for our last 3 days in Florida. Relaxing, enjoying the beach, sleeping in. Basically de-compressing from Disney.
Then I read about the red tide. From everything I've read... we don't want to be that close to the beach if the red tide is present (we have young kids and asthma), and it looks like it could well be. So... here are my questions:

1. If there is red tide in Clearwater/ St. Pete Beach, would Siesta Key/Sarasota necessarily have it?
2. How fast does it move in/out?
3. Where would we find out about the lastest updates when leave Disney?

4. My new plan is to stay somewhere close (30 minutes-ish) to the beach and drive to a clear one, or go to an aquarium or museum if this is not possible. Can someone suggest a good hotel location to to do this?
Thanks!

 

[Funwith4kids]

I can't answer all your questions, but I have been to Siesta key with Red Tide.

 

[cjb71870]

I live in Sarasota. Where did you read or get your info from?

 

[Fabooliss]

I've read several sites... including the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. It says there are very low levels of red tide right now.
As of December 29th:

Southwest Region: No Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was detected this week in Pinellas and Manatee counties. Concentrations in nearshore areas of Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties were patchy and ranged from background to very low. No water samples were collected this week in the Florida Keys.

I've also read people on the DIS with trip reports that say they were coughing and it smelled bad even a half mile from the beach . I don't really want to book a beachside resort if this could happen. I do however, want to enjoy the beautiful beaches if at all possible so I'm trying to find a compromise.
And yes, I've read the "scary" left wing site, and took it with a grain of salt.

 

[Amity 3]

HELP!!!
I was was all set to book us into a lovely little hotel near Sarasota, just 100ft from the beach for our last 3 days in Florida. Relaxing, enjoying the beach, sleeping in. Basically de-compressing from Disney.
Then I read about the red tide. From everything I've read... we don't want to be that close to the beach if the red tide is present (we have young kids and asthma), and it looks like it could well be. So... here are my questions:

1. If there is red tide in Clearwater/ St. Pete Beach, would Siesta Key/Sarasota necessarily have it?
2. How fast does it move in/out?
3. Where would we find out about the lastest updates when leave Disney?

4. My new plan is to stay somewhere close (30 minutes-ish) to the beach and drive to a clear one, or go to an aquarium or museum if this is not possible. Can someone suggest a good hotel location to to do this?
Thanks!

1. no, the blooms aren't connected. if there's red tide near us, we go to SK or Lido.
2. whenever they want, it's impossible to predict.
3. http://www.mote.org/ or the Fish and Wildlife site
4. Bradenton is about the halfway point between the Pinellas and Sarasota beaches.

 

[Fabooliss]

Oops... I actually meant, is there somewhere I can find out about red tide, without having internet access? Tourist info or something?

We have decided on Bradenton or Ellenton, will post a separate question about hotels.