Beach Archive

In addition to the numerous sea birds that walk along the shoreline or fly overhead, small marine creatures wash up on shore or make their home near its edge.

Some are easy to identify. Others are not.

There’s a variety of wildlife teeming just below the surface and down into the depths of the Gulf of Mexico, from tiny microbials to massive great white sharks and every shape and size between.

But for marine biologists and other scientists who need air to breath, observing and understanding this diverse ecosystem can be tricky. That is where tracking comes in.

What better way to build a beachy Christmas spirit than to go to the beach, collect shells, and transform them into holiday decorations?

To gather photos and ideas, we went right to the source of all things to do with local shell collecting – the Shell Friends of Navarre and Pensacola Facebook page – to find some shellers with a creative flare. Dozens shared photos with us to give you ideas for what to do with those shell collections. You can make everything from Christmas tree ornaments to Christmas trees out of shells, and everything in between.

Residents of the Inn at Summerwind Resort’s eastern tower evacuated around 4 p.m. Nov. 19 due to a roof fire, visible from the beach below.

The blaze broke out on the northeastern corner of the roof sending a pillar of smoke over the beach. Petra Francis of Navarre Properties, whose office is located in the tower, said work crews have been making repairs to the roof area after Hurricane Sally caused damage in September.

Deteriorated properties along canals in Santa Rosa County need to shape up if a new proposed ordinance is adopted.

County commissioners gave the thumbs-up to advertise a public hearing on a new canal ordinance. The proposed ordinance will require docks, piers, boathouses and seawalls along man-made canals in the county to be maintained so as not to be a hazard to the public or navigation and to not damage neighboring property.