Restoration for Shell Point
$880,000 beach renourishment project
is on the state list, to be paid for with BP money
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11:03 am
By AMANDA MAYOR
amayor@thewakullanews.net
On Thursday, May 2, Governor Rick Scott had good news
for state communities that are still recovering from the
BP oil spill of 2010 as he announced the proposal of 12
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) projects totaling
$58 million.
Wakulla County will benefit by way of a Shell Point beach
nourishment project costing $880,000.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau
of Beaches and Coastal Systems have long recognized the
declining health of the one mile shoreline at Shell Point
and has designated it as “critically eroding,”
which means that natural processes or human activity have
caused or contributed to the erosion and recession of
the beach to such a degree that development, recreational
interests, wildlife habitat, or important cultural resources
are threatened or lost.
The Shell Point beach nourishment project would include
the provision of approximately 15,000 cubic yards of dredged
sand from an upland borrow area on the one mile beach
in hopes of increasing recreational opportunities.
“We feel very proud to get this project,”
said Wakulla County Administrator Dave Edwards. “It’s
going to help a lot of people and it will add a huge economic
boost. It’s not quite as much as we were hoping
for, but we’re very happy to have it.”
Other proposed projects include:
Florida Gulf Coast Marine Fisheries Hatchery/Enhancement
Center, Escambia County. Approximately $20 million.
Florida Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration, Escambia,
Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties. Approximately
$11.4 million.
Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline, Escambia County. Approximately
$11 million.
Florida Oyster Reef Restoration Escambia, Santa Rosa,
Bay and Franklin counties. Approximately $5.4 million.
 Scallop
Enhancement for Increased Recreational Fishing Opportunity
in the Florida Panhandle, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa,
Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties. Approximately
$3 million
Florida Bay Seagrass Recovery Project, Gulf, Franklin
and Bay counties. Approximately $2.7 million.
Shell Point Beach has been challenged by erosion over
the years, including this cedar tree that efforts have
been made to save.
Big Lagoon State Park Boat Ramp Improvement, Escambia
County. Approximately $1.5 million.
Bob Sikes Pier Restoration, Escambia County. Approximately
$1 million.
Florida Cat Point Living Shoreline Project, Franklin County.
Approximately $800,000.
Perdido Key Boardwalk Improvements, Escambia County. Approximately
$600,000.
Perdido Key Dune Restoration, Escambia County. Approximately
$600,000.
The 12 projects would make up Phase III of early restoration.
Early restoration projects are designed to accelerate
efforts to restore natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico
that were injured as a result of the Deepwater Horizon
accident and are made possible under the early restoration
framework agreement between BP and trustees. It allows
the expediting of projects that would normally only get
funded after the NRDA is complete and a final settlement
has been reached or a final court judgment has been entered.
The first two phases of state restoration projects have
totaled over $11 million, which means that Florida will
potentially allocate nearly $69 million, if not more,
of the available $100 million designated to the early
restoration process by the framework agreement.
“We’re committed to restoring the environment
and economy that families have relied upon in the Gulf
for generations,” Scott said. “These $58 million
in Florida projects represent a critical step forward
in recovering from the natural resource and recreational
losses that resulted from the BP oil spill. We will continue
to work with our state, federal and local partners toward
solutions that ensure impacted areas are revitalized for
families.”
Smith Regatta Racing
By Lee Chapin
The Smith Regatta started with the usual gathering at
the beer truck, good weather and best of all, visiting
with good friends. Saturday morning was greeted with a
few hangovers, really nice wind and the anticipation of
a day of racing. At the skippers meeting Perry introduced
everyone to a new race course and after some initial questions
everyone setup for the 10 knots of wind that was blowing
from the south.
Perry & Brian began setting the course, then Mark
& I set out in the committee boat to station ourselves
at the start/finish line in the center of the course.
With everything set and everyone testing the line angles
we went white flag up. Red flag up saw both the ‘A’
fleet and Sport fleet starting at the same time with 18
racers crossing the start line. It was an exciting start
with a mix of port & starboard tacks being taken.
It was great to see Donna back racing, her knee all well
again! As was to be expected there was a little bit of
confusion with Perry’s new course, but the majority
made it all the way in the prescribed manner with a few
informing the committee that they had not. The second
and third races went without any course infractions in
a wind slowly subsiding to 5 knots by the end of the 3rd
race and the beginning of the lunch break. After some
lunch refreshment and a bit of wind increase back up to
7-8 knots the 4th race went red flag up with 15 racers.
The 5th race started and finished with 13 racers. Everyone
retired to dinner at the yacht club then a return to the
beer truck for some non-sailing fun with friends and to
enjoy the band on the beach.
Sunday morning awakened with some tasty breakfast by Linda,
more hangovers and good wind (10-12 knots) out of the
south. The Long Distance race was the usual course around
the tripod over to the flasher and back. The seas outside
around the tripod were a challenge to the sport fleeter’s.
but everyone that started did manage to finish. The ‘A’
fleet blazed over to the flasher and back in their usual
good form. It was then time for the beer truck and awards.
| Race
Results |
| ‘A’
Fleet – Heavy |
‘A’
Fleet - Light |
1 Dan Olivier
2 Paul Hansard
3 Dan Burch
4 Wright Finney
|
1 Chris Voith
2 Dave Stanger
3 Mark Powell
4 Bob Andrews
|
| Sport Fleet – Women |
Sport Fleet - Men |
1 Julea Williams
2 Linda Downey
3 Donna McMahon
|
1 Chris McMahon
2 Bob Graves
3 Bill Olsen
4 Mike Levine
|
The whole weekend ended with a great birthday party orchestrated
by the lovely Miss Sherry at Perry’s in honor of
Wright and Dan’s 38th, complete with martini’s,
great finger food and birthday cake. A fitting end to
a great weekend!
Club Meeting April
9, 2013
Called to order at 7:33pm.
Our commodore said we should do the Wind Ceremony
twice every year and Rick said “We…”,
because our commodore wasn’t at the second
one. But, then, after the rebellion was quashed
during the first one, he may have felt the Swami
didn’t need a reminder of his failed coup
attempt.
It’s looking like October 19th and 20th
will be the Atlanta Fall Classic. If you want
to know the dates for our events, look at the
calendar, I’m not your mother.
We sold all but 17 shirts at the Wind Ceremony
Since the first Wind Ceremony was done under inclement
conditions, the food winners were never selected.
Bob Andrews, chair of the event, raffled off the
coveted aprons, at the meeting. To be in the draw,
you had to contribute a dish. The winners of the
raffle were Sandy, Laurie, and Judy.
This past Wind Ceremony was the first to be cancelled
because of the weather.
Purchase of a sailboard from Wind Sense in Atlanta
was approved.
First three training classes are full and the
others are filling up well. We need trainers to
show up on the training days.
We have money in the bank (so says Wright) and
members in our club, 61 memberships to be kinda
exact, which includes family memberships.
Lee spoke on the Smith Regatta. All is going well
but donations are still needed.
April 21st at 2pm is a workday to clean up the
beach for the Smith. Linda mentioned that Jo Ann
may need help since Lorna won’t be there
this year.
Meeting adjourned.
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