SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Midnight Pass has been a life source for Little Sarasota Bay, allowing water to circulate and biodiversity to thrive.

But that all changed in 1983 when the pass began to shift, threatening homes nearby. The homeowners got permission to close the pass with hopes of reopening it in new location. But those efforts were unsuccessful.

“What I’ve noticed about Midnight Pass is that in the hopes of saving a few homes, the environment and all the things around it suffered along with the people who could use the area,” local resident Mike Smith said.

With its natural reopening in 2024 after the hurricanes Helene and Milton, the health of the bay been improving significantly.

“The birds have returned here. Just earlier we were watching pelicans dive into the water,” he sa

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