Beach Renourishment Project http://www.savethecape.com {ts '2010-03-18 07:34:21'} {ts '2010-03-18 07:34:21'} Bluewater RSS http://www.bluewateri.net http://www.savethecape.com http://www.savethecape.com Beach Renourishment Project
I thought it might be time for another update on our beach nourishment and USFWS issues. At present we have a conference call scheduled for next Thursday the 12th with FEMA, Division of Emergency Management and our County representatives to strategize our face to face meeting with USFWS here in Gulf County. As yet, we do not have the face to face meeting with USFWS scheduled but are working on a time. We thought it important before that meeting, for us and FEMA to discuss our best approach and hopefully an acceptable approach to accomplish our goal of getting this project moving forward.

I have given Senator Nelsons Office more information on our issues with USFWS and our project and they are reviewing to see if it would be appropriate for them to intervene on our behalf at some point. I made sure they were well aware of the differing opinions of the two Federal Agencies. Hopefully they will give me feedback shortly.

I would like to reiterate our efforts to a KEY CONTACTS FOR CAPE SAN BLAS form for you to complete on the site www.savethecape.com, in the near future. Grassroots communications are far more effective when they come from constituents, personal friends, relatives, campaign contributors and the like, so we want to compile this information on our property owners, visitors, etc. We want to carry as much influence as possible to Washington D.C. and we need your help to do it.

While there are other initiatives going on, this gives all of you an overview of where we are in the process. Again thanks for your patience as we proceed.


Warren Yeager
County Commissioner Dist. 5



PUBLIC NOTICE ON CCCL: (You may need to copy and paste the link)

Good Morning Everyone,

Just as an FYI; the Department has initiated rulemaking to make proposed amendment to Chapter 62B-26.016, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). This Chapter provides the legal description of the Coastal Construction Control Line in Gulf County. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published in the Florida Administrative Weekly (FAW) today, November 6, 2009, Volume 35, Number 44. This notice can be reviewed (beginning on page 5657) by clicking on the following link:


pdf>
https://www.flrules.org/Faw/FAWDocuments/FAWVOLUMEFOLDERS2009/3544/3544doc.p
df

A hearing was also notice and will be held at the date, time and place shown
below:

DATE AND TIME: December 3, 2009, 6:00 P.M.
PLACE: Centennial Bldg., 2201 Centennial Dr., Port St. Joe, Florida SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: The legal description of the location of the Coastal Construction Control Line, specifically along portions of Cape San Blas, in Gulf County.

I've updated the Bureau's web site with the current status of Gulf County's rulemaking process. If you receive questions regarding this process you can direct them to the web site:


http://www.dep.state.fl.us/beaches/default.htm#GulfCounty


Hope that this helps. If you encounter problems please do not hesitate to contact me.

***************************************************
Rosaline Beckham, Environmental Specialist III Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems Division of Water Resource Management Department of Environmental Protection
(850) 488-7815
rosaline.beckham@dep.state.fl.us
***************************************************
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=77 11/05/09 Please pay particular attention to the last paragraph of Commissioner Yeager's letter and refrain from contacting any legislators, officials, etc., at this time.

Also, were working on a KEY CONTACTS FOR CAPE SAN BLAS form for you to complete here on the site in the near future. Grassroots communications are far more effective when they come from constituents, personal friends, relatives, campaign contributors and the like, so we want to compile this information on our property owners, visitors, etc. Stay tuned for more information once its available for you to fill out. Thank you for your support of the Cape. We have come a long way, but the journey will always continue. Lets keep focused and working together!

COMMISSIONER YEAGERS LETTER FOLLOWS:

Paula,

As a followup to our recent discussions on keeping everyone informed as to the ongoing negotiations with USFWS on hurricane Gustav sand loss replacement, I wanted to give the first update as to where we are in the process.

Just to discuss a little of the history, after Gustav the County applied for and received approval for 15 million dollars from FEMA to replace sand loss that occurred during the storm. Before FEMA can release funds for the project they have to get a letter of concurrence from the USFWS. When FEMA made that request, which they believed would be a formality, USFWS sent a letter saying they did not concur based mostly on Piping Plover habitat concerns.

As probably everyone knows we recently had a conference call with USFWS, FEMA, Congressman Boyds Office, MRD Coastal Engineers and several of us from the County to try and identify the issues that needed to be addressed for USFWS to approve of the project. During that conference call USFWSs argument seemed to be that they do not believe this project qualifies as an exception to a rule that says you cannot use federal money in a CRBA area, abandoning the Piping Plover argument. We believe, as does FEMA, that this project does qualify for an exception based on the language in the rule.

Our coastal engineer Michael Dombrowski has already written a response to USFWS addressing their concerns and explaining in great detail why this project should qualify as an exception. USFWS did not respond to Michaels letter nor did we convince them on the conference call of our arguments for the exception. Our goal now is to give USFWS enough information based on the CBRA act to convince them this project qualifies for an exception. We are currently setting up meetings with everyone on our side, including FEMA, to formulate a plan prior to our next meeting involving USFWS.

I am confident that our team can work through this process and be successful in getting the funding for this project. I would request everyones patience while we are working with the agencies to resolve all the issues. I will continue giving up-dates on our progress to keep everyone as informed as possible.

Thanks and with Warm Regards,
Warren Yeager, County Commissioner District 5   
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=76 10/26/09

FOR RELEASE on May 18, 2009
Contact: Leslea Meyerhoff, ASBPA Best Restored Beaches Committee Chair, 760-804-9144 Paula Ramsey Pickett, Gulf County Tourist Development Council, Director, 850-229-7800




St. Joseph Peninsula Named
One of America's Best Restored Beaches


St. Joseph Peninsula (Cape San Blas), FL - The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) announced today that St. Joseph Peninsula is a winner of its 2009 Best Restored Beach Award. "ASBPA created the Best Restored Beach award in 2001 as a way of highlighting the value of America's restored beaches," said Harry Simmons, mayor of Caswell Beach, N.C., and ASBPA president. "As Americans flock to our coastline during the upcoming beach season, most don't even realize they may be enjoying a restored beach."

The St. Joseph Peninsula beach restoration program began after repeat storm events eroded the natural shoreline to a point where it would not recover without a full nourishment project. Property owners lobbied County Officials to begin the process for studying the feasibility of a nourishment project of this magnitude. After three years of research, design, funding, permitting and completion, the restoration became one of the fastest projects to move through the process in the State of Florida.


"It is an incredible story on how a small group of property owners worked with the County Commission, stakeholders, and the environmental community to develop a local funding source and construct the $21 million project in such a short period of time," said Michael Dombrowski, Project Engineer, MRD Associates. "The project will provide years of protection to the upland properties, which just a year ago a 20-year storm event would have resulted in 50 to 100 structures probably being condemned."


"Seeing the beaches of Cape San Blas restored was a dream that many thought impossible," said Laurel Eiler, Chairman of the Gulf County Beach Advisory Committee. "Only by working together as a community we able to turn this dream into reality. I am so proud of what we've achieved. Our beaches will provide protection of homes and enjoyment for countless visitors in the years to come. This award from ASBPA is a huge honor for us!"


For the last 40 years, beach restoration has been the preferred method of shore protection in coastal communities on the east, west and Gulf coasts. Beach restoration is the process of placing beach-quality sand on eroding beaches to reverse or offset the effects of erosion.

The three main reasons for restoration are:

Storm protection - a wide sandy beach helps separate storm waves from upland structures and infrastructure.

Habitat restoration - numerous species rely on wide, healthy beaches as a place to live, feed and nest.

Recreation enhancement- America's beaches have twice as many visitors annually as all of America's national parks combined. Every year, there are over 2 billion visitors to America's beaches.

In 2007, beaches contributed $322 billion to the America's economy. More importantly, for every dollar the federal government spends on beach nourishment, it gets $320 back in tax revenues. Coastal communities, along with various planning and funding partners, have restored more than 370 beaches in the United States, including such iconic coastlines as Miami Beach, Coney Island and Southern California's Venice Beach.


Paula Pickett, Gulf County Tourism Director, explains, "In a time of economic recession, the beach is an even more desirable destination than other domestic and foreign alternatives. Our beaches are the economic engine, with over 300,000 visitors coming to Gulf County annually; we can't afford not to maintain our most valuable asset. We are honored to be recognized for our project, and this award is for the many people who were involved in this accomplishment."

To enter the competition, coastal communities nominated their restoration projects for consideration, and an independent panel of coastal managers and scientists selected the winners. Judging was based on three criteria: the economic and ecological benefits the beach brings to its community; the short- and long-term success of the restoration project; and the challenges each community overcame during the course of the project.


Other beaches honored this year include: South Padre Island, Texas; Marine Park - Bellingham, Wash.; Fire Island (New York); Encinitas (Pacific Station), Calif.; Lido Key, Fla.; Duval County, Fla.


Past award winners include: Panama City Beach, Fla., in 2002; San Diego Beach in 2003; Ocean City, Md., in 2004; Indian River County, Fla., in 2005; Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches in Delaware in 2006; the Chaland Headland Restoration Project in Louisiana in 2007; and Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle, Wash. in 2008.



Join Our Mailing List!

Gulf County Tourism Development Council
150 Captain Fred's Place
Port St. Joe, Florida 32456


]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=75 05/18/09
Also, there will be some final work in the area of Sunrise/Sunset soon. Due to the storm-related damage to Sunrise/Sunset, the County was requested to construct the dune about 40 feet from the structure to provide sufficient room to repair the foundation. These repairs are almost complete, and the owner will be pushing the sand toward the buildings and shaping the dune to the original design grade over the next few weeks. The work at Sunrise/Sunset will be completed by April 30th.

We are hopeful it won't be too much longer and we will have some word on the status of our application for FEMA funding to repair the beaches from the storms of last season. As soon as we have that information, we will get it out to you through this site.

The third picture is from the work at Stump Hole. I asked Michael to describe it for you, since I was pretty sure I wouldn't get it right! "GAC Contractors grading the existing rock (foreground) to provide a base for the new revetment. The sheet-pile wall (to the right of the photo) in acting as a wave break so that the contractor can work on the revetment during rougher sea conditions."

Finally, the work of the original St. Josephs Peninsula Advisory Committee is complete. It has been a challenging but rewarding journey over the past four years, and we now have our beautiful restored beach. Homes and properties have been protected, and our visitors can continue to enjoy one of the miracles of nature we all know and love simply as Our Cape.   

Thank you seems extremely inadequate, but we do want to recognize and show appreciation one more time for the committee members: Susan Wright, Bill Cleveland, Steve Conroy, Ray Golz, Tom Graney, Steve Newman, Charlie Weston, Roland Wilson; and subcommittee members: Anne Anderson, Julia Cunningham, Andrea Heard, and Debbe Wibberg, Al Minzner, and Ron Shaeffer. Also, to others who helped on various activities or served for part of the time on the committees, thank you!

Of course we couldnt have made it this far without Paula Pickett and the support of Don Butler, the County Commissioners, FDEP Beaches and Coastal Systems, and our engineer, Michael Dombrowski. Again, thank you all for your time, your talents, and your willingness to work so hard for so long!!

Like any good story, however, this is not the end of the book, just the end of the first chapter.   Weve taken the first, huge step with our initial project. There will be more work to come, however, with FEMA projects, the possibility of expanding our project to earn Federal funding, and much more. The website will be redesigned soon, we hope, and new committees and task forces will be needed. If you wish to be involved in our efforts going forward, please drop us a note at info@savethecape.com and let us know you would like to participate!

Once the groundwork for the site has been accomplished, we will hopefully be developing a new database so we can contact people whenever we need assistance or participation in projects as well. When you receive notification of a new signup form, we do hope you will take a moment to complete it and stay involved.

This quote seems a fitting way to sign off what may be the last blog from the committee in its current form. Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds. We have achieved a wonderful thing for our community and each and every one of you deserves to be very proud.    Laurel Eiler, SJPBAC co-chair
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=74 03/24/09
The crews of Manson and MRD have worked through the holiday and it appears that Tuesday will be the last pump day. It will take around two weeks for a final dressing of the beach and all equipment to be removed.

The beach access point at Dunes Drive will be completed with a walkway to the beach and the final dressing of the restrooms. The vechicle access point that has been used for the construction entrance will be gated off, but left as an emergency access point.

The first photo show the view from the most southern home (and closet to the rock) looking towards the stumphole.
And for a bit of a teaser, the second is a picture of the newly stationed huge rocks that are going to be replacing the existing rocks at stumphole. (The next big project for the Cape).

Have a blessed and happy New Year.

]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=73 12/28/08
I wanted to bring you up to date on the status of our beach project as of today, our 40th week of construction. Progress has been steady overall and we are currently on the last leg of the project. The Bayport is at dock refueling today and will make her final "jump" of the project, beginning to pump south on Subline #1 upon her return to work this evening. There were several weather delays causing our completion date to be pushed back to the middle of January.

On Monday of this week, Michael Dombrowski and I met with a FEMA Coastal Project Specialist, to review the scope of work required for our application for federal funding as related to the summer's hurricane damages. We have qualified for funding and we have begun the preliminary
work required to obtain necessary permission and permits. It is very much in our favor that our beach data is so current. We anticipate having the final scope of work to FEMA by the end of January. We will need to locate
additional sand sources and resolve all permitting issues as they relate to turtle/bird nesting in the project area. So basically, we will work diligently and faithfully on our end to get things underway as soon as possible.

Due to the fact that our beach is newly constructed, there is a chance that we can develop what are known as "feeder beaches." This places a large amount of sand in selected areas along the coastline that is meant to feed the
beach, creating a large bar system of protection. This method will allow us to get the most sand for the money. At this point we do not know if this method will be selected or we'll use the traditional method of placing the sand (as we have just done) along the entire coastline.

While we all wish these storms never occurred, it did prove that our beach protected the homes and property and that much of the sand remained in the system, as it was designed to do.

We know that you would like more pictures so please check out the photo link to view our updated album. I dropped my camera in the sand and ruined it several months back, so I have relied on others to get pictures for me. The aerials were taken by Debbie Hooper (Paula will have to upload these when she returns. I don't have them all -- Laurel) and beach pictures taken by Laurel while she was here for Thanksgiving. If any of you would like to submit your photos, we'll I'll be happy to post them as well. Please send them to
info@savethecape.com.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=72 12/17/08
Current construction of the upper berm is about in front of the yellow house with the pool at around 4219 Cape San Blas Road. There's middle berms and toes being completed further to the north. There's also a dune-top walkway that comes from just north of the active construction all the way to the area north of the subline, where the beach is completed and open, so you can get on the beach from Clifton Place, etc., as long as you take that path at the top of the dune (photo 2).

Just visually eyeballing the work, I would guess the progress on Subline 2 to be about midway of the 2,000 feet to the south. Paula will add an update on the anticipated jump to Subline 1 if one is forthcoming from the construction meeting on Wednesday.

We walked some distance to the north of Cozumel as well. The beach does seem to be doing what it was intended to do, and sand appears to be migrating back from the bar systems in response to the tropical systems as well as the first winter-like storm at the end of October (photo 3).

Remember there's still some "Keep Off Dunes" signs available for purchase. Contact us at info@savethecape.com or call the TDC office to find out how to purchase and pick them up. Also, there's still time to use the group vendor that is independent of Save the Cape for sand fencing. If you are interested, email Laurel at laureltn@gmail.com. Regardless of who does your fencing, it's definitely time to get it in place to catch the sand from the winter storms! Remmber the fencing guidelines are available at the "Latest News" tab of the website.

Hope everybody is enjoying fall and has an opportunity to get to the beach soon! The Cape weather was spectacular this past weekend. Truly one of the nicest times for weather I can remember. The water was crystal clear, the pelicans, dolphins, etc., were all out in force, and the sunsets were gorgeous -- but we missed photographing one! ]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=71 11/03/08 80% of the shoreline distance and placed just shy of 70% of the volume of sand for the project.

We have updated the Latest News page of the website and added links to several forms with guidelines for sand fencing and walkovers, as well as the FDEP Application for a Permit for Construction Seaward of the CCCL (a field permit is needed for walkovers seaward of the CCCL). As noted on that page, a field permit for a walkover can be obtained without a fee.

Lori Ortega is our field rep with FDEP. She is your contact for the field permit for your walkovers. Contact information to leave a message for Lori is shown on page 2 of the Permit Worksheet as well.

If you have questions about the permit application process, etc., please don't hesitate to ask and we'll answer if we can. It could be we'll just direct you to FDEP, however!

(As a side note, depending on the profile of beach at your property, you may find an actual elevated boardwalk and steps is no longer necessary. Where the contour permits, you may wish to opt for a simpler post and rope pathway instead to guide people from your homes to the beach.)

We also still have some "Keep Off Dunes" signs available.   Email us if you want to purchase them.

Finally, we are getting close to having a final bid for sand fencing for anybody interested in participating. This effort is independent of the beach project and just a group of owners working together to hopefully capture some economy of scale. Anybody wishing to participate, please contact Laurel at laureltn@gmail.com. Hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather, either at the beach or wherever you are.
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=70 10/16/08
The volume of sand continues to increase as we work our way south, so it is difficult to pinpoint how long we'll be working on this next section. If you are curious about when we'll reach a particular spot, the best thing to do is monitor the blog and we'll do our best to give updated information on where construction is and what sections of beach are closed.

Today construction is in the area of Surfside Lane/Reef Drive and the beach is closed from there to Barefoot Trace and the location of Subline 2.

To watch the action, in time the project will come into the range of the still camera accessible at this link Beach Realty Cam. This camera is at Aloha House, just south of Tiffany Beach Road. You can also catch some glimpses of pumping and bulldozer action on the zoomed southern view at the camera from Beach Cliff (photo 1). Please note that looks can be deceiving (or like a rearview mirror disclaimer, objects may be farther away than they appear). In reality, although this looks like the project is almost to Aruba, it's still some distance away.

Independently of the County beach restoration project, a group of owners are working toward getting a volume rate for installment of sand fencing, which we hope will be done probably early November (photo 2 shows fencing after Ivan that was installed as part of a group effort). If you are interested in participating, please email Laurel at laureltn@gmail.com. I will be out of the country from tomorrow until 10/12 so if I don't respond right away, it's because I can't get to my email!

We still have a few "Keep Off the Dunes" signs available for purchase. Please contact Paula at info@visitgulf.com to order yours and handle payment (photo 3).

Finally, the Florida Supreme Court issued its ruling on the "Save our Beaches" matter on September 29, 2008. You can view the entire 54-page ruling at this link Florida Supreme Court Ruling.

The following is a statement from Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael W. Sole Regarding the Save Our Beaches Florida Supreme Court Case Ruling: We are pleased with todays opinion from the Florida Supreme Court which upholds the constitutionality of the Beach and Shore Preservation Act. The courts opinion reflects that the Beach and Shore Preservation Act implements the States constitutional duty to protect Floridas beaches, and achieves a reasonable balance between public and private interests in the shore.

All of us associated with the SJPBAC and our project are pleased with the ruling and feel it will benefit the continued preservation of our beaches for future generations to enjoy!

To our fall guests, have a great time at the beach and enjoy these cooler temperatures!
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=69 10/02/08
It's anticipated work on Subline 3 should be completed within the next week to 10 days, at which time we will jump down to Subline 2. The plan at this time is to pump to just north of the duplex on Aruba before moving to Subline 2.

Damage assessments have been made by both the County and FDEP. Although it is too soon to know if any FEMA monies will become available as a result of Fay, Gustav and Ike, the groundwork has been done to be in the best possible position to receive damage recovery funding if it does become a reality. The process does take some time, so we will update through the blog as any developments occur in relationship to the beach project and any "touch ups" of restored areas or impacts on unrestored areas.

With regard to post-storm debris, Manson will be removing debris from the fill template as they approach (photo 2). Manson will not remove debris from under your homes, so you will be responsible for that. Of course this does not apply to debris on the beaches already restored. Property owners on both the restored and unrestored beaches are encouraged to remove any storm debris you can and get it to the right-of-way. Any additional instructions or debris removal plans will be posted here as the information comes available.

Surveys have been done of representative spots along the beach as part of the paperwork for submission for FEMA assistance. We do not have the results of those surveys yet, but I can say that from Friday to today (Tuesday) the beach is wider and there's some near-shore bars that could increase width even further (photo 3).

To those of you in the restored areas, the 100% lack of structural damage is a testament to how well beach restoration works to protect our homes! To those of you in the southern end who have experienced damage, we all share your frustration and can only promise to work as diligently as possible to get the beach project to your home as soon as we can.]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=68 09/16/08
The weather will be a big factor in the week ahead, as it was last week. Until we know for sure what track Gustav will take and how high the seas will be, it's impossible to determine what impact it will have on the project progress or what delays we will have for weather.

After Fay's passage, everyone was very pleased with the performance of the beach in the completed areas. The reports we are receiving are very positive.

Today the beaches are open completely with the exception of directly in front of Tobago. Folks from Tobago can walk north to gain access via the post and rope pathway that runs from the duplex on Seahorse all the way up past the subline. (photo 2)

The weather is gorgeous and the survey crew is hard at work. (photo 3). It is truly one of the prettiest couple of days we've seen this summer! Everyone enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend. We hope that Gustav does not impact anyone too dramatically and the Cape escapes unscathed.]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=67 08/29/08
We have just uploaded 15 photos to a new gallery in the photo gallery. These are all the areas we identified on Wednesday from the current project work area south to Sunrise/Sunset that need some attention by the owners to get the best results when the project passes. If you click on a photo, you will see a name for the house if we know it, the address, and a brief note like "walkover that needs addressed." If you recognize somebody's property, please alert them and send a link to the gallery! We will also be getting this information out to all the management companies (photo 2 is a sample).

Finally, photo 3 is a sample of the "keep off the dunes" signs that are available for purchase. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity and obtain signs from us, please email Paula at info@savethecape.com

I will be here at Beach Cliff throughout the storm and will try to update the blog here as to conditions. Again, we are hoping for the best and will be back to work as soon as possible.   Wish Fay away and hope for sunny skies again soon.
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=66 08/22/08
The Bayport is scheduled for fueling and maintenance tomorrow and will be heading into port very early in the morning. We are not certain how long she will be there but hope to be back to work sometime Friday.

The beaches from Subline 3 north are all accesible, either completely open or via a roped path at the top of the dunes. Speaking of ropes, however, we've noticed a lot of folks who stop, look at the "restricted area" signs and then just keep moving in the construction zones as of late. PLEASE do not cross the roped-off areas!

Another public service reminder -- our newly restored beaches are an incredible asset of amazing beauty. We know in some cases we may be "preaching to the choir," but PLEASE do not leave trash on the beach. We have seen empty bait containers, cigarette packages, cans, bottles, fishing line and all sorts of things that mar the beauty of this wonderful place. Additionally, remember to leash your dog and remove your dog's waste. Finally, all remains from campfires should be removed and disposed of properly. End of speech :)

We will be reposting the sand fence and walkover guidelines soon. We will also be adding additional photos to this week's gallery later today. Also, we'll be "tagging" structures and fencing in the southern areas that need removal. We'll try to add photos of those as well.

Finally, if you wish to purchase "keep off the dunes" signs, please contact Paula via info@savethecape.com and she will provide you information on the process and cost.

Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Fay is a flake. Until next week, enjoy the beach!]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=65 08/20/08
The dredge is hooking up now back at Subline 3, which was repaired this afternoon, and we'll go back to working south on Subline 3. The progress prior to the bad weather was about the area of Sandcastle on Clipper Way. (photo 2)

There are some sand fencing that still needs to come down in the area south of the construction. If anybody knows the owners, please ask them to remove them.

Also, the tug was able to take advantage of the calmer weather today to remove the loose hose in the area of Aloha House. While down there to see the area after it was removed, we notice still really BIG holes in the beach. Please don't leave them after dark because they're dangerous to the patrols and crews! (photo 3)

Finally, we will watch Fay closely and should the storm become a threat or a problem for our area, we'll do our best to keep you posted on the status of the project. Additionally, we'll be uploading the sand fencing guidlines from FDEP to the library soon and adding a tab to the home page. Somehow they were removed when we did a little too much housekeeping!]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=64 08/16/08
Grade stakes are now in place from the subline south to High Tide, the white house sitting at the end of Catamaran just north of Clipper Way (photo 1). In walking down to take photos for the photo gallery and the blog, I noticed several folks have cut back their boardwalks -- good job! (photo 2)

I have included some photos in the gallery of remaining fencing south of the subline and some boardwalks that may need to be addressed. If you have questions as to whether you need to take any actions with your boardwalk, again, please just email us at info@savethecape.com and we'll be happy to get Michael's input for you.

Tomorrow or Saturday a few loads will be pumped down on Subline 2. This is part of the process of preparing the line for future use. Work will return to Subline 3 as soon as sufficient sand is pumped in the Subline 2 landing area.

As mentioned in comments to last week's blog, the loose pipe in the area of Aloha House will be removed from the beach Monday or Tuesday. The tug necessary to do the work is undergoing some maintenance right now and the pipe can't be removed without it.

Finally estimates for the work on the south side of Subline 3 are two to three weeks total for the 2,000 feet to the south. Unless we have unexpected delays for weather or equipment, we should see the jump to Subline 2 by the first of next month.

We still have a good number of visitors here, and everybody seems to be enjoying the beach despite the recent rough surf conditions. Don't know if the fish are biting, but there's lots of people giving it their best effort anyway! (photo 3)

Again, my never-ending reminder to remove remaining fences and please try to keep stuff clear of the beach at night for the safety of the turtle patrol. Have a great week at the Cape!
]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=63 08/07/08
We've had some questions about the situation at Subline 2. A spare piece of pipe came loose due to rough seas and will be addressed when the weather settles down. The high surf and inclement weather of the last few days makes work more challenging, but in a few days this should clear out and more tranquil weather will return.

We need to ask again -- and we *know* we're starting to sound like nagging mothers, but it's important so we have to keep after this -- please remove your chairs, awnings, etc., at night from the beach, even if you're not in an active construction area. Photo 2 shows a marked false crawl where a green turtle came up and ran into an awning frame and then turned back around (she did lay her eggs further up the beach). In addition to potential impacts on turtle nesting, items left on the beach and holes left in the beach are hazards for the folks working at night. We sure don't want anyone to be hurt and know you don't either, so please help us out and keep the beach clear and safe. Thank you!

We also had a renewed request to please remove all the sand fencing on the beach. There's still quite a bit of it in the area left to pump between San Dunes and Haven Road. There's also some areas needing attention on the south side of line 3, which will be under construction soon. If you have questions or need help to address these situations, please contact us at info@savethecape.com

Commissioners Jerry Barnes and Nathan Peters toured the dredge this week (photo 3). It was great for them to see first hand the people, equipment and process that is helping the Cape's dream of a restored and healthy beach become reality.

Those of you visiting us here at the beach, have a wonderful time!]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=62 07/31/08
We've put some new photos in the gallery that were provided to us by Barrier Dunes owner Steve Blevins. Once again, thanks to Steve for taking the time to do flyovers and help us record the project from this fabulous vantage point. (Photo 1 is an aerial of Rish Park)

We now have our walkways in place at the Troy Deal Beach Access. The post and rope walkovers were placed last week, as well as a larger sign to make it easier to find. We should have the remainder of the improvements there finished in the next week. (Photo 2 shows one of the new paths to the beach.)

We are now really getting into the most densely populated areas of our beach with the restoration project. We need to ask again for the assistance and cooperation of all our owners, property managers and guests to please do your part to keep the project moving smoothly and safely! As you can see in photo 3, a couple beach awnings are sitting right in the active construction zone. Please be sure to take your beach items up at night if there is any chance you'll be in the path of the construction. We don't want to see anybody's gear damaged, but we also want to avoid delays for removal of these types of items whenever possible. Thanks so much for your continued cooperation on this subject! Finally, owners, please be sure all your sand fencing has been removed. If you have any questions concerning walkovers or stairs, please feel free to email info@savethecape.com and we will try to get an answer for you about whether they need to be removed.

We hope everyone has a safe and fun-filled week at the beach!

]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=61 07/25/08
Paula and I drove sections of the beach, both completed and about to begin construction, the first part of this week. Addressing the sections of beach about to begin work, a few important notes and continuing relentless reminders:
1. If you have not removed your sand fencing, PLEASE DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
2. If you have a boardwalk or other structure that extends beyond the natural vegetation line, it is possible it needs to be addressed. You can email info@savethecape.com if you are unsure and need clarification on your situation.
3. Owners, guests and property managers, we need your help to get the beach chairs and other stuff off the beach well in advance of the project reaching your area. When the contractors go to place the ropes and/or grade stakes, they need a clear beach to do it and now that we're in full season and more populated areas of the beach, we're encountering some problems there. Thanks in advance for your help on that! Even in areas not impacted by the project, please dont leave chairs, etc., in the middle of the beach  they can be hard-to-see hazards for other vacationers or the turtle patrol at night.
4. Also, we're still hearing about the various holes, pits, trenches, etc., that are left behind when folks head up for the evening. We all love to play in the sand and we don't want to discourage that -- but those harmless daytime holes turn into invisible, dangerous pits for the folks on turtle patrol each night. Thank you!!

We also wanted to take a moment to reassure and confirm the fact our restored beach continues to be a healthy, pristine, thriving ecosystem! Some folks have asked if the dolphins are impacted by the beach operations.

As I hope you can see from Photo 1, sometimes they actually are attracted to the areas of the sublines to hunt! (If you can't see him in the smaller shot, there's a dolphin swimming in the background of Subline 3 there. It was part of a pod of about 5 in the area).

Photo 2 is a shot of one of the 20-plus turtle nests that have been laid in the areas of nourished beach. We are at or near the peak nesting time according to our turtle patrol report Wednesday. We're nearing a total of 80 nests. Those laid in unrestored portions of the beach are relocated either north to the State Park or south to Eglin lands.    Learned something new -- the nests that are lower on the beach are most likely Loggerheads. The ones you see right up at the dune and possibly even dug into the dune are most likely Green turtles. (Just in case you ever need some turtle factoid for a trivia contest.)

Another sign of a healthy beach is the return of ghost crab holes. We actually saw ghost crab holes on the Secluded Dunes section of the beach the day the ropes were removed. We saw many holes along the areas we were driving, but I neglected to take a shot of them. The only crustacean I captured on film is this guy, on the beach in the Clipper Way area. (And we do hope Abigail is having a great vacation.)

The beach cam has been repaired and we appreciate it being back in operation so we can all watch the dredge come and go when we're not on the Cape. We will try to keep you up-to-date on closures, progress, etc., but please feel free to ask any questions you have.

]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=60 07/18/08
Now see today's progress (photo 2). The stairs have been removed from the lowest level, and all that sand is now as high as the base of the townhome garages. Work is not complete in front of Cape Shoals as of yet, but operations are moving along very smoothly and we anticipate this good pace to continue.

Cape Palms Park is currently closed (photo 3). Access to the beach from the Cape Shoals area can be gained in the vicinity of the northernmost unit. We will try to keep you posted as to when the park will be reopened -- but please remember it's a great place to come to and watch "the show" while the work is being conducted!

Subline (or landing) 2 has been placed. It's in the vicinity of Ebbtide (Barefoot Trace). We'll get some photos of the area for you next week.

Finally, as our headline states, we have completed just slightly over 60% of the shoreline. We are just under 40% of the overall fill volume. We are so pleased to see those numbers continue to climb!

Once again, all the usual admonishments, disclaimers, fine-print announcements: Please remove your chairs and awnings, fill your holes, and remember to take your children in at night, etc.   Have a great week at the beach -- catch a lot of fish, and don't forget the sunscreen.

p.s. If you are the guests who left your chairs, towels, umbrella and floats on the beach in front of Cape Shoals, they are now being stored and waiting for you in the Cape Palms pavilion.]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=59 07/09/08
Those of you vacationing in the Cape Shoals area, do NOT panic! First of all, it's possible the pipe will not flip until Saturday or even Sunday. Secondly, whenever it flips, there will be access to the beach across the pipe via a sand bridge just north of Cape Shoals (photo 1).

As you can see from the next photo, the beach at Cape Shoals will be much, much higher and a great deal wider (note the sand in the background of the stairs photo 2). There's other images of the sand height, etc., in the photo gallery.

We're now in the height of the season, of course. Your cooperation and attention to staying out of roped-off areas, removing beach equipment, not leaving bonfire debris or holes in the beach is all very much appreciated! Not only does it help us move the project along quickly (and therefore out of your way as soon as possible) but most important to us is your safety and that of the folks who are working on the project or on the turtle patrol. (Yes, we've said this before; and yes, we'll say it again.)

That's it from us. Enjoy a safe and happy July 4th weekend! (photo 3 -- Reminder not to miss the fireworks in Port St. Joe at dark. You can actually see them from the bay side of the Cape if you have access.)

]]> http://www.savethecape.com/blog.cfm?id=58 07/03/08