Excerpts from Jim Conrad's
Naturalist Newsletter

from the July 3, 2011 Newsletter issued from Mayan Beach Garden Inn 20 kms north of Mahahual; Caribbean coastal beach and mangroves, ~N18.89°, ~W87.64°, Quintana Roo state, MÉXICO
SALT-SPRAY DAMAGE
This wasn't a good week for our Queen Emmas to reach their flowering peak. That's because during most of the week another big "disorganized zone of instability" weather system drifted over us, giving us unending stiff breezes, big waves and air so heavy with salt spray that I had to clean my glasses every five minutes or so. Where our Queen Emmas were most exposed to the wind, the flowers got "scorched" -- turned brown and shriveled up -- as shown below:

salt spray damage on lily flowers

Even many native plants suffered, as shown below:

Chit Palm damaged by salt spray

Those are young Chit Palms, Thrinax radiata, their outer leaf sections "scorched" by the salt. Chit Palms sheltered from the wind don't have frond segments tipped with dead tissue.