Anyone have Seaside photos since scraping?

Kurt, Have you seen the Seaside dunes since the scraping that was done Friday and Saturday? I understand that it looks much better, although I am concerned that it will wash away again with the next big storm.
Thanks in advance. 😀

I haven't been on the beach there since mid last week. The scraping I've seen elsewhere has made little difference.

The State only allows one scraping per week and only one has been done.

Spoke to TJ Brooks, Town Manager, the day of the scraping and have see numerous e-mails of people who have seen results (I have not). All were very positive as to the improvement to the look of the dunes. I am not saying I advocate scraping as the solution to all problems, however, after seeing Blue Mountain Beach, it has to be better than that.

As Debi Mestre, President of Town Counsel, said in an e-mail, it was getting a gift of $400,000 of white sand.

I'll see in 2 weeks.

Thanks Kurt and Coast...

I received the emails from TJ and Debi which stated that the scraping made a real improvement to the dunes. They indicated that photos would be forwarded soon, but I have yet to see any.

In any event, I am coming down to Seaside on Thursday afternoon, so I will be able to see the dunes then.

Re: Thanks Kurt and Coast...

I received the emails from TJ and Debi which stated that the scraping made a real improvement to the dunes. They indicated that photos would be forwarded soon, but I have yet to see any.

In any event, I am coming down to Seaside on Thursday afternoon, so I will be able to see the dunes then.

It is raining out presently, but I will be over there later today, and will take a few for you. Any particulars?

Thanks so much Smiling JOe...

Any photos that show the dunes would be appreciated. We live on West Ruskin, so a shot toward the WR pavillion would be great! :clap_1:

Pouring rain for awhile now.

Sorry I did not see your request for Ruskin befor I left. These shots are from Pensacola Pavilion taken around noon today. It could not have been any prettier. By going into my photo album, you should be able to enlarge the photos by clicking on them. ;-)

Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

:clap_1: I appreciate you going to the trouble of taking those nice shots. You did have an image that showed the dune in front of the Ruskin pavillion.

It looks like the first scraping benefits the flat part of the beach more than the dunes. Would you agree...or do they still have sand remaining to push up to the dune?

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

:clap_1: I appreciate you going to the trouble of taking those nice shots. You did have an image that showed the dune in front of the Ruskin pavillion.

It looks like the first scraping benefits the flat part of the beach more than the dunes. Would you agree...or do they still have sand remaining to push up to the dune?

That sound like a question for Mr. Brad Pickel with the TDC.

Brad Pickel, Director of Beach Management
TDC Staff 850-267-1216 Ext. 131
bpickel@beachesofsouthwalton.com

There are rules, regulations, and environmental impacts regarding beach scraping, and I am not to familiar with them, while Brad is much more educated in that respect.

Perhaps Seaside is going to fill in the cracks. 😀 (I think they stated that they were doing nothing this time.)

I wonder how cool this place would be with much time passing without man interfearing? Maybe we would have a large secondary Bay, and Seaside would be Bayside with protective barrier islands located where the second sand bar currently exists. We truly do not know our own impacts on the planet.

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

I wonder how cool this place would be with much time passing without man interfearing? Maybe we would have a large secondary Bay, and Seaside would be Bayside with protective barrier islands located where the second sand bar currently exists. We truly do not know our own impacts on the planet.

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:
I agree with you completely. You just say it so much better than I could!!

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

:clap_1: I appreciate you going to the trouble of taking those nice shots. You did have an image that showed the dune in front of the Ruskin pavillion.

It looks like the first scraping benefits the flat part of the beach more than the dunes. Would you agree...or do they still have sand remaining to push up to the dune?

I don't know how much sand will be brought in or what the plans are for the dunes, but I have photos of Seacrest Beach from February 2005, after sand was brought in to the beach and dunes after Ivan, and it looked very nice -- the dunes looked artificial and needed to even out and needed sea oats planted, but they were being rebuilt nicely (I realize there's a debate about whether to rebuild the dunes artificially or let nature do it -- I don't have a stand on this yet). I imagine it will be a decade (who knows) before the dunes look as nice as they did before Ivan, but I'm sure they were also devastated by Opal and hurricanes before that. As long as we take care of the dunes and the beaches, they'll be back to their former state (well, I guess they're never back to their former state since coastlines are always changing). For those of us who are invested in the area for the long term, we can be patient.

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

As long as we take care of the dunes and the beaches, they'll be back to their former state (well, I guess they're never back to their former state since coastlines are always changing).

I know someone who once talked about putting her kids in a "no-grow" box so that they would always be as they were at that very moment in time. Can you imagine how confined and uneventful those kids would be today? What many people want is for things to be a certain way forever, never having to nuture and experience the sometimes painful growth and change. Speaking from my own life experiences, I know that everything in my life can be wiped away in the blink of an eye, even though I think everything will last forever. I have experienced losing people, possessions, and meaningful amounts of money all at the drop of a hat. Once, I too, believed that nothing should ever change, but now I realize that nothing I see is ever the same. Even my personal memories, stories, and persepective of one single event changes with time. I take nothing for granted anymore, and treasure every experience in my life, whether happy or sad. The sad times are as joyous as the happy and should be celebrated as well. We never know what beauty lies within the pain and suffering if we are not open to receiving it. There is a great book, some say written by Lao Tsu, which is called the Tao. Literally translated, it means, "the way." It is a book of stories and questions that each person has to interpret for him or her self. My way is not the way, it is only my way. I understand some of the suffering that Gulf-front owners are experiencing. It is painful and frustrating. Keep in mind that it is how you handle the difficult times that really shapes you into your own person. For anyone in need of shelter, I will open my doors to you. That is just who I am. I have been fortunate enough to have little angels looking out for me, and I like to share that with people who need a little angel of their own. I think it is unfortunate that some people are loosing their homes which perhaps their parents, or spouses personally built long ago. I know that the longer and tighter you hold own, the more it hurts when it squeezes through your grasp. I encourage you to remember to be receptive and open to movement through time. It will literally change your world.

SJ:

I think I know what you mean. The ocean and coastline reminds me (as you say) that life is always changing yet timeless and these lessons are particularly poignant during times of loss and sorrow. And our lives are a "blink of the eye".

I was reading a book on Buddhism a few weeks ago while on vacation ("The Compassionate Life"). One of the Buddhist assumptions about what leads to a happy and peaceful life is that one shouldn't be too invested in "attachments" -- in other words, things change and we will be devastated if we try to hold on (e.g., people, places, jobs, things, perhaps even beliefs that we hold on to too strongly). But if we realize things change and we adapt to the changes, then we can have happiness and peace because we are open to what is, not what we wish it would be.

Of course, I know this may be small comfort to many of those who have lost their homes or who have significant damage and worries due to Ivan or other hurricanes. Regardless of whether they had gulf-front homes or lived in trailers, they all lost much (perhaps all) of what they had and that was precious to them.

SJ:

I think I know what you mean. The ocean and coastline reminds me (as you say) that life is always changing yet timeless and these lessons are particularly poignant during times of loss and sorrow. And our lives are a "blink of the eye".

I was reading a book on Buddhism a few weeks ago while on vacation ("The Compassionate Life"). One of the Buddhist assumptions about what leads to a happy and peaceful life is that one shouldn't be too invested in "attachments" -- in other words, things change and we will be devastated if we try to hold on (e.g., people, places, jobs, things, perhaps even beliefs that we hold on to too strongly). But if we realize things change and we adapt to the changes, then we can have happiness and peace because we are open to what is, not what we wish it would be.

Of course, I know this may be small comfort to many of those who have lost their homes or who have significant damage and worries due to Ivan or other hurricanes. Regardless of whether they had gulf-front homes or lived in trailers, they all lost much (perhaps all) of what they had and that was precious to them.

Well stated. :clap_1:

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

I don't know how much sand will be brought in or what the plans are for the dunes, but I have photos of Seacrest Beach from February 2005, after sand was brought in to the beach and dunes after Ivan, and it looked very nice -- the dunes looked artificial and needed to even out and needed sea oats planted, but they were being rebuilt nicely (I realize there's a debate about whether to rebuild the dunes artificially or let nature do it -- I don't have a stand on this yet). I imagine it will be a decade (who knows) before the dunes look as nice as they did before Ivan, but I'm sure they were also devastated by Opal and hurricanes before that. As long as we take care of the dunes and the beaches, they'll be back to their former state (well, I guess they're never back to their former state since coastlines are always changing). For those of us who are invested in the area for the long term, we can be patient.

I have lived part-time in SoWal since 1993. By the time Ivan hit, the dunes had almost recovered to where they were before Opal (albiet there was a lot of sand pushed up out of the Gulf after Opal to shore up the dunes). What was still missing when Ivan hit were the pre-Opal dunes which existed on the flat beach. We used to walk down to the bottom of our walkover and then walk through about 10' of shallow dunes (covered with sea oats), before we got to the "beach".

In essence, there was a 10 year lapse between Opal and Ivan and even with massive beach scraping the dunes had not completely recovered. Geologic time does not anywhere near correspond to human time.

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

I have lived part-time in SoWal since 1993. By the time Ivan hit, the dunes had almost recovered to where they were before Opal (albiet there was a lot of sand pushed up out of the Gulf after Opal to shore up the dunes). What was still missing when Ivan hit were the pre-Opal dunes which existed on the flat beach. We used to walk down to the bottom of our walkover and then walk through about 10' of shallow dunes (covered with sea oats), before we got to the "beach".

In essence, there was a 10 year lapse between Opal and Ivan and even with massive beach scraping the dunes had not completely recovered. Geologic time does not anywhere near correspond to human time.

That's what I remember as well. I have heard many people say "we fixed the dunes after Opal, we'll do it again". The dunes had made a good comeback with help from man and machinery. But only because of the luck of having many years after Opal before the next major storm. Otherwise all that work may have been for naught and might have done more harm than good if a storm had come soon after. That is what I have seen after Ivan, with Arlene and Dennis. Bad luck. Scraping and hauling in sand will do nothing if they are not planted immediately, and we don't have time before the next major event.

I think many people know this and why there is the beginning of what will become a roar for major renourishment through dredging.

Re: Smiling JOe, thank very much for the photos...

In essence, there was a 10 year lapse between Opal and Ivan and even with massive beach scraping the dunes had not completely recovered. Geologic time does not anywhere near correspond to human time.

That is correct. The Earth will be around much longer than humans, so we need to keep that in mind. We are merely tourists on this planet. We may make our beds here for a while, but we will move on to, one day, become the very dirt upon which something else will rest.

When we started coming to SoWal in April 2003 the beaches looked absolutely gorgeous to me (even though we never saw the other dunes that never returned after Opal). So, perhaps that's why I'm optimistic that through man and nature we'll have those beaches we got used to back again (and let's hope we get many years to enjoy them before we get another hurricane). And I believe that it was after Opal and the damage that Oopal had done that Grayton Beach was named by Dr. Beach as one of the best and most beautiful beaches -- is that true or was it named best beach before Opal?

Kurt and SJ, I agree with your comments. I love BMB and we will rebuild if necessary. I hope there will be some dredging; I think it is the best choice- not the sand at BMB public access.