Update from Port Commissioner Bliss

Historic City News receives regular reports from Commissioner Bliss as to the activities undertaken during the regular meeting of the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District.

We have $1.9 million available — less the $500,000 for dredging Porpoise Point, less $5000 passed for the Nautical Fest and Boat Show May 21st and 22nd.

Taylor Engineer Steve Schropp will accompany Summer Haven Reps to meet with DEP to determine what is do-able and permit-able for the Summer Haven River debacle. The 2008 intrusion of heavy Atlantic seas into the easternmost course of the River wound up depositing some 200,000 cubic yards of sand. Between removing that total amount, or trenching a watercourse of only 60,000 cubic yards, are many variables.

This advocate supports the full restoration. The Summer Haven River has thrived for the last century, at the minimum, in essentially the same form up to the 2008 breach. Manmade forces have been impinging on the area: beach renourishment to the North since the mid-1990’s, dredging of an ICW shortcut past Rattlesnake Island; modifying the inlet to St. Augustine in the 1940’s: it’s impossible to remove man’s stamp of “progress”, and futile to conjecture cause and effect. The Summer Haven River meander asks for restoration on the basis of its diversity and its history.

Port Commissioner Herb Rippe has galvanized the local political seascape: hopefully within the week St. Johns County will get DEP permits to dredge the ebb shoal bars that are causing damage to unwary boats entering and exiting the inlet. That dredging hopefully commences this coming winter; county has funds for the project. In the meantime, USCG has marker 5A supplanting #5. You can admire the breakers between the two markers from Vilano Beach. Further to the East, you can admire birds on a sandbar at low tide. Just last year at this time that bar was part of the channel.

Safe passage through the inlet is gained by favoring the red marker side of the channel.

Port will provide $500,000 to dredge some 80,000 cubic yards from Porpoise Point; this will widen the neck of the inlet and should reduce current velocities an undetermined amount.

Dredging at Porpoise Point and inside the inlet means a pipeline through Salt Run all the way to the beach at the County pier in St. Augustine Beach this Fall. Salt Run resident Buzz Johnson noted that past pipelines had leaked a massive deposit of sand into the Run, with no recourse.

President Mike Sullivan of the Marine Industries Association of NE Florida announced a two-day boating event at Castillo Field on May 21 and 22. Port voted to support that effort for the economic impact and the boating awareness/safety components it provides the public. At Camachee Yacht Harbor on June 11, ten to two, there will be a National Marina Day with our on-the-water agencies on display.

Congratulations to Tim Tucker and sailboat racers from this area who took first place at Charleston Race Week last weekend. Tucker’s “Rock Star” bested the Annapolis runners-up, with sailors participating from around the nation in a 14-boat handicap fleet.

As always, Port official minutes are available at www.staugustineport.com

Jay Bliss, Commissioner, Seat 5

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer