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.
Juana’s Pagodas has been a fixture on Navarre Beach for more than 25 years now. The business commemorated its 25th anniversary July 1 with a special celebration that included live music, contests and specials.
The Navarre Beach Fire Department and Santa Rosa County lifeguards joined forces June 21 for their first official joint training in the 2014 season. The two departments conduct the training each year in an effort to trade best practices for water rescue, as well as build communication and camaraderie between the two organizations that routinely work together in water rescue efforts.
What a difference a few days can make. Volunteers had made their 5:30 a.m. trek along Navarre Beach since May 1 looking for sea turtle nests, and for 49 days they found none. However, three loggerhead turtle nests have now been discovered between June 19 and 23.
A sea turtle education, research and rehabilitation center in Juno Beach, Fla., has launched an initiative designed to improve the chances of survival for sea turtles that are accidentally caught or injured near fishing piers. And, after two workshops in Santa Rosa and Bay counties over the weekend, eight additional piers are joining the initiative.
Not many summer camps include squid, ice cream and kayaking at the beach all in one week. But those are just a few of the activities young campers were able to enjoy during the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station’s Turning the Tides summer camp June 9 – 13.
The Navarre Beach Area of Commerce Foundation’s Marine Sanctuary Committee is seeking artwork for its annual Run for the Reef. Artists are encouraged to submit artwork for consideration. The winning entry will be displayed on approximately 450 to 500 T-shirts as well as the committee’s webpage. Additionally, a print of the artwork will be auctioned for fundraising purposes.
