Tag Archives: plants

Surf’s Up Surf Report: Wed, June 19, 3:30pm, 8pm, & 8:30pm Sunset

3:30pm: I rolled up to the beach. Right behind me in came a car and an FWC officer pulling a teenager over. Apparently he had blown right through a stop sign according to the park staff making the accusation. The officer couldn’t write him a ticket because he didn’t see it happen, he said. They got off with a warning. I chatted with the park staff. At least one was a certified botonist (plant specialist). They said the small bush that looks like a smaller palm like the sabal, but doesn’t look like one, was in fact a sabal, and that the average growth size was just above bush size. The full tree sized trees aren’t the normal size. Interesting, right? I said, “I could have sworn those have been the same size since I’ve been coming here.” They said, there are many different varieties of sabal palm. Another interesting fun fact: the sabal palm is classified as a grass. The surf is small. It’s rideable. It’s consistently knee high. The storm might pass soon. Low tide is at sunset. Go surfing.

Honeymoon Island Beach Renourishment: He wants more, don’t give it to him!

The t-groins are a bad idea, and encouraging this rate of sand loss by throwing more money at it is an even worse idea.   Unfortunately, the groins just can’t hold sand. The water flow around and over them washes away the sand. These things are plain and simply the worst possible solution to the erosion problem at Honeymoon Island.

Take a close look at the sea grapes and sabal palms (state tree) from before the dredge in 2014, then take a look at the pictures of what’s left of those same trees in Spring 2018.  Continue reading Honeymoon Island Beach Renourishment: He wants more, don’t give it to him!