It's a Shore Thing

The dredging at Stump Pass starts up again on January 4

Word spreads fast among the beach combing community whenever there is any dredging going on. Some of the best sharks tooth hunting & shelling happen where you have a pass between two islands.  Due to wind, tides, & shifting sand these passes tend to close up from time to time. Stump Pass is the southern most tip of Manasota Key. It has become very tricky for boaters to navigate especially at low tide due to the sand bar that has built up over the last few years.


 When a pass closes up it causes lots of environmental changes - some not so good. It can cause the quality of the water to plummet. So the contract has been approved & 3.76 million later the dredging of Stump Pass has begun. They take huge pipes and suck up the sand & shells that have clogged up the pass and spit it out on the beach through big pipes to renourish it. You can only imagine the treasures that big dredge can deposit on the beach. My friend & I took the 1.3 mile walk up the beach to see what was going on. Lots of other folks had the same idea but what a good way to walk off that Christmas dinner.
There is not much beach area to walk on 
The renourishment adds more beautiful beach   (for future tides & winds to wash away)
Lots of sharks teeth washing up from the dredging
The project includes dredging of approximately 332,400 cubic yards of sand and shell from Stump Pass. 
The pass with Knight's Island on the other side
Shell layers from an eroding sand dune
The path back
Park Ranger Bob found his sharks tooth on Stump Pass 7 years ago.  He had a local  jeweler wrap it with the gold wire so he could wear it & proudly show off his find.

Comments

  1. jmacDecember 25, 2010 at 10:37 PM

    Oh Kaybe....what a Christmas treasure....combing a beach on Christmas day! Hope yours was a good one..and you found lots of new trinkets!!
    And guess what?? Looks like our Blew Bayou will be taking me to Sanibel Island very soon to let me explore that cool shelling heaven! She will prolly set sail the first of Feb. and my first stop will be there!!! Updates to follow!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Drawn to The SeaDecember 26, 2010 at 2:45 PM

    You are so blessed by nature. So beautifully blessed.
    We are too, we just have to look closer.
    Smiles,
    Julia~

    ReplyDelete
  3. Leo December 26, 2010 at 10:53 PM

    Great photos. Nice way to spend your Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Christmas-etc...December 27, 2010 at 2:42 AM

    I really enjoyed this! Learned something plus...it reminded me of all the days I spent beach-combing along the shores of Santa Rosa Island near Destin 30 years ago! It was pristine back then... one of those treasures of the mind now.
    Blessings!
    Ann

    ReplyDelete
  5. rjerdeeDecember 27, 2010 at 4:50 AM

    Learning something new every time I stop here! Part of my family is here for a couple weeks and they've really gotten into shelling this year. Might be fun for us to check out the end of Manasota Key...Hmmmm, yes. Sounds like a winner...
    becky (at beachsnaps)

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Florida BloggerDecember 27, 2010 at 11:25 AM

    It's amazing the history that is in those shell layers.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ShellbelleDecember 27, 2010 at 4:40 PM

    So, I have one question? Do ya think that big ol' thing is going to be dredging up my Junonia?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Cindy AdkinsDecember 27, 2010 at 9:52 PM

    Wow, that is amazing about the sharks' teeth..and what an amazing way to spend Christmas...Wishing you a beautiful and blessed 2011.
    XO
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete

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