Beach Archive

On the beaches of the Florida Panhandle, there is a visitor that has overstayed its welcome.

Beach Vitex, a dune plant which likes dry, sandy soils, has been managed and studied in northwest Florida since 2012, when it was found in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach. Since then, Beach Vitex has been observed along beaches in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Bay and Franklin counties.

April showers, bring May… sightings of Manta Rays?

Okay, that’s not exactly the saying, but during the month of May, Navarre Beach visitors had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of a Giant Manta Ray on at least two separate occasions.

Third year lifeguard Zachary Miller is taking a break from keeping his eyes on beachgoers to keep his eyes on a group of adolescents bent on being the next generation of lifeguards. The week of June 3 through June 7 marked the beginning of the fourth year of the Junior Lifeguard program.

When they aren’t designing jewelry or going to school, you’ll find Croix and Kai at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center (NBSTCC). The brother sister duo, ages 10 and 9, make and sell bracelets at various markets along the Emerald Coast.

It’s been 22 months since Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center set up fishing line recycling bins on Navarre Fishing Pier. The bins were erected as part of the Monofilament Recycling Program with the goal of reducing environmental damage caused by discarded fishing line.

Every month, a group of veterans, Active Duty servicemembers and some first responders take to the water. Not on a mission but to kayak and fish. They are part of an organization known as Heroes on the Water; a nonprofit founded in 2007 to provide recreational wellness experiences to those who have served. 

While venturing down Navarre Beach, as he does every morning, Doug Browne and a friend discovered a sight they wished they didn’t have to see. On May 25, Browne and Olivia Hagedoorn found a deceased dolphin washed up along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. The dolphin was technically on Eglin Air Force Base property, but the friends managed to see it and contact someone with Gulf World Marine Institute.

A rare and endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was rescued off the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier at around 5:20 p.m. Friday evening. The turtle was severely wrapped in fishing line, towing a 6-foot fishing pole. The Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation stranding team went into action to retrieve the turtle.

From May 18 to 24, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other entities across the state of Florida observed ‘National Safe Boating Week’ ahead of the summer, which unofficially starts with Memorial Day.

Florida Sea Grant is gearing up for the 2024 Great Scallop Search. The search is set to begin July 27 and finish Aug. 4. There are 11 grids in Big Lagoon and 55 grids in Santa Rosa Sound where volunteers can search.