In case you missed NOAA's announcement on Friday There's a good reason why we're optimistic our shoreline and islands will have minimal impact from the Gulf oil spill. Recent projections by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report the probability of oil impacting our destination is less than 1 percent. That echoes the opinion of Kristie Anders, education director for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. She says the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico follows the edge of the continental shelf, which runs parallel to the state's coast and extends to about 150 miles off the destination's shores. When the strong current hits the shelf, it curves southward along its edge. So, barring a major storm, it will steer the Loop Current away from our area and well offshore of Southwest Florida. See for yourself: Gulf of Mexico Map, Continental Shelf Illustration, NOAA Modeling of Shoreline Threat. Thank you, Tamara Pigott Executive Director