Beach Archive

Spring is upon us, and that means warmer temperatures both above and below the waves of Navarre Beach.

The increased temperatures will more than likely mean more sea turtles. While sea turtles are a welcome sight for beachgoers, their presence near the fishing pier can spell trouble.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating potential munitions and other military-related hazards across a 138,465-acre area that includes Pensacola Bay, Fort Pickens and parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the area is underwater.

The Navarre Beach Lifeguards returned to a foggy Navarre Beach Saturday, March 7.

The lifeguards will be looking to follow up a successful 2025, which saw over 1.9 million visitors, 1.5 million preventative actions, 6,337 assists and zero drownings.

Most days, jumping off the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier isn’t a welcomed sight. Monday, Feb. 16, wasn’t one of those days.

The Navarre Beach Lifeguards hosted a lifeguard development course, which is meant to help foster water safety, rescue skills and beach safety knowledge in current lifeguards. The Emerald Coast Lifesaving Association, a nonprofit focused on lifeguard training in Northwest Florida, is the organization behind the event.

Plans for a Navarre Beach Boardwalk are slated to be complete by March.

Last July, the Santa Rosa County Commission heard design plans for a boardwalk along the Gulf side of the beach and requested revisions.

Last summer, Paul Taylor, a science teacher at Navarre High School, reached out to the community seeking donations to create a fishing section within his marine biology class.

The response, he said, was overwhelming.

Navarre Beach Bridge will undergo a series of routine bridge inspections beginning Wednesday, Feb. 18 and ending Thursday, Feb. 19.

Maggie Benham is involved with many things.

From volunteering at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center (NBSTCC) to instructing people on whitewater rafting to creating art, Benham is a sort of “jack-of-all-trades.” Or rather, a “Jill of all trades.”

The Emerald Coast Lifesaving Association will host the second edition of its Lifeguard Development Course on Navarre Beach on Feb. 16. The course will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is designed for second- and third-year lifeguards, with an emphasis on advanced skills, teamwork and leadership preparation. The program is not intended for current supervisors.

Steve Chard pulls up in his kayak to a boat ramp in Moore Haven, Florida, on Dec. 29 and a man who is fishing asks what he’s doing.
Chard tells him about his journey and the purpose behind it and is offered a place to stay for the night. It’s day 166 of his Great Loop adventure.