Beach Archive

While the Navarre Beach Lifeguards keep tourists and locals safe at the beach this summer, a new generation is being trained to follow in their footsteps. The Navarre Beach Junior Lifeguard program, which is entering its third year, helps strengthen children and teens’ swimming and water related skills, while also teaching them about waterways, marine life and other things about the Gulf of Mexico.

The Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) will launch their free, open-air trolley service along Pensacola Beach this Memorial Day weekend, beginning Friday, May 26.

The 2023 Pensacola Beach Island Trolley, operated by Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT), will run daily from 4 p.m. to midnight through Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 4.

The trolleys help alleviate traffic congestion by allowing visitors to park anywhere and have a convenient way to tour the whole island.

Erosion caused by Hurricane Sally in 2020 has complicated Santa Rosa County’s beach renourishment schedule.

Navarre Beach Fire Rescue District is no stranger to assisting other fire departments or districts when they are in need. In December, Navarre Beach Fire gave Munson Volunteer Fire Department some of their thermal imaging equipment and NBFRD always assists Holley Navarre Fire District and Midway Fire District on calls. On Monday, April 17, Navarre Beach Fire was able to help an out-of-state volunteer fire department get a vehicle they could have never afforded on their own.

A longtime Navarre Beach concert series is facing an unlikely future. During the Tourist Development Council’s recent budget workshop, the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce did not submit a sponsorship request for the Tunes by the Dunes concert series for the upcoming fiscal year.

Ground recently broke on a new expansion to Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center.  According to Cathy Holmes, the founder of NBSTCC, the expansion will help continue the center’s mission of educating the public about sea turtle conservation, as well as helping facilitate the work done by the NBSTCC Sea Turtle Rescue Team.

Navarre Beach saw its first sea turtle rescue of the 2023 season. More sea turtles come to the waters and beaches around Navarre during nesting season, which typically runs from April or May to October each year.

Temperatures in the 40s didn’t stop the crowd from going to Spring Jam on Sunday. The event featured Matt Stell, Shane Profitt and Ian Flanigan, who all performed at Juana’s Pagodas and Sailors’ Grill.

If you have been on the pier when a sea turtle gets rescued after a run-in with a fish hook or have spent anytime at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, then you may have seen or met Keith Feldman. Feldman has spent the better part of the past four years volunteering and working with the NBSTCC. He is also a member of the NBSTCC sea turtle stranding team, which is responsible for the rescuing of distressed sea turtles in Santa Rosa County, mostly along Navarre Beach.

Coming off a great 2022, which saw zero drownings and 44 rescues, beach safety division chief Austin Turnbull and the Navarre Beach Lifeguards are looking to follow up one winning season with another in 2023. Before they can do that, the Navarre Beach Lifeguards prepare by honing their skills and knowledge through training. This goes for rookies and returning guards. With the season just over a week and half away, the lifeguards were out on the beach Feb. 18 and 19 to get ready.