“I don’t think there is a kid yet that we haven’t taught how to surf,” said Waterboyz owner Sean Fell. Fell is referring to the eight surf camp sessions Waterboyz holds for aspiring surfers each summer.
Plastic bags. Bottles. Cups. Straws. Cans. Fishing line. Just some of the items that were removed from Navarre Beach by volunteers July 26 during the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center’s monthly “Trash Bash.”
The tar mat found June 21 in the Gulf of Mexico in the Fort Pickens Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) is about 25 percent larger than one removed from a similar location earlier this year.
Tourists in many cases drive hundreds of miles to enjoy the beauty of Navarre Beach and its emerald green waters. But what is there for them to do when they arrive and find warning flags flying suggesting they stay out of the water?
As with any seasonal job that is generally filled by high school and college students, turnover among the ranks of Navarre Beach lifeguards is inevitable. However, the 2014 season was different with more than half of the staff being new. Plus, the growing popularity of the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary snorkeling and diving reef added another spot that lifeguards needed to monitor closely.
Return visitors to the Navarre Beach Sand Sculpting Festival will be greeted by a new location and most likely an admission fee. The festival has been held the last five years on the Gulf-side of Navarre Beach near the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier and has been funded with BP funds but that ends in 2014. This year’s event will be held on the sound-side in the Navarre Beach Marine Park due in part to nesting shorebirds but also as an opportunity to feature the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center and Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary.
Sunshine, hot temperatures and the promise of fireworks brought locals and visitors July 4 to Navarre Beach. By the early afternoon, traffic had slowed on Highway 98, both east and westbound, as motorists waited their turn to cross the Navarre Beach Causeway Bridge.
Volunteers with the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center (NBSTCC) expected the beach might need a good cleaning after July 4, so a special trash bash was scheduled. Organizers were right about Navarre Beach needing some extra attention. During a two-hour period July 5, 36 volunteers were able to collect more than 230 pounds of trash.
A few years ago, sea turtle enthusiasts convinced the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners to approve an ordinance that was designed to keep Navarre Beach sea turtle friendly. The ordinance, commonly called “leave no trace,” prohibits items from being left on the beach overnight, unless they have been properly permitted by the county. Despite the best efforts made by various conservation groups to spread the word about sea turtle nesting and the ordinance, more education is needed.
