Beach Archive

People who live along Gulf Boulevard on Navarre Beach may have a new neighbor in the next few years. Alvin’s Island, a beach-focused retailer and affiliate of Marco Destin, is making plans to build a location on Navarre Beach off Gulf Boulevard. The approximate location is directly in front of The Navarre Beach Regency Condominiums.

Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center (NBSTCC) welcomed a new arrival at their facility Saturday, Jan. 7. While most of their new arrivals have shells and flippers, this one had tires and an engine. The center acquired a new rescue van to help transport turtles in a safe and secure environment. For NBSTCC Director Cathy Holmes and the NBSTCC Sea Turtle Rescue Team, the new van is a major improvement from what they had been using.

Navarre Beach Fire Rescue recently received four new handheld thermal imaging cameras, which will help improve fire rescue effectiveness and safety. The fire department was already in possession of two thermal imaging cameras that still worked but were an older design than the ones they were just received. In lieu of their newfound cameras, NBFR Fire Chief Danny Fureigh decided to pay it forward to another Santa Rosa County fire department, Munson Volunteer Fire Department.

Tessa Hendricks and Alex Bailey are like any newly engaged couple. They are in love, have dreams of starting their life together, and, did I mention, they are both Navarre Beach lifeguards.

The 2022 Navarre Beach Lifeguards celebrated a “winning” season – meaning no drownings. With more than 747,000 visitors, the guards provided 150 assists, 44 rescues and answered 185 medical calls on the beach. Recently, Navarre Beach Safety Division Chief Austin Turnbull attended the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) board meeting and educational conference in Orlando.

The Gulfarium’s C.A.R.E. Center successfully released two rehabilitated sea turtles on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at Topsail Hill State Park, Florida. Each of the turtles were rescued from Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach within the past year.

Earlier this month, Navarre Beach Marine Science Station received a grant for $19,615 from Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program. They were selected from a competitive pool of 18 proposals.

The nearly $20,000 will go towards studying and collecting data on water quality, and more specifically, the nutrient and bacteria levels in the Santa Rosa Sound. They will also monitor algal blooms.

October is nationally known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A local nonprofit, Pink Pirates of Navarre colors the beach path along Gulf Boulevard in pink one Saturday every October with runners and walkers dressed in pink tutus and pink wigs.

The 14th annual Run for the Reef was held Saturday morning on Navarre beach and drew a record crowd.

On Sept. 21, Navarre Beach Fire Rescue Fire Chief Danny Fureigh honored several lifeguards and a member of Navarre Beach Fire Rescue at an awards ceremony.

Lifeguards Garrett Edwards, Daniel Walsh, Ryan Conner, and Austin Koenigseder were honored for helping save a diver in distress at the reef near Navarre Beach over the Summer. John Becker was recognized as a Lifeguard of the Year for the 2022 season. Cole Burton received recognition as the Most Improved Lifeguard of the Year for the 2022 season. Zack Miller was named Lifeguard Rookie of the Year for the 2022 season. The NBFR member who was honored was Patrick Wissing, who became a full time member of NBFR recently. Wissing is a firefighter/paramedic.