Structures need moving to save Seven Mile Beach
(CNS): The disappearance of chunks of Seven Mile Beach in the recent stormy weather has focused public attention on the erosion of the famous stretch of sand, and this slow moving problem is getting worse. Experts here are warning that some tough decisions about shifting back buildings and other hard structures must be made to save Seven Mile Beach and the time to make them is now.
Department of Environment experts say the dramatic movement of sand following the recent storms is not necessarily “lost” sand because some of it has simply been redistributed. Shifting sand is nothing new, after all, but the problem is that climate change, rising sea levels and over development are now combining to cause shrinking sand.
The DoE has warned that, in the long run, saving the beach will require a “managed retreat”, in other words structures will have to be taken down and rebuilt much further back.
The department has recently completed a study on the long-term behaviour of Seven Mile Beach, which has been the subject of research here stretching back to the mid 1970s. As a result, the DoE experts know a great deal about the jewel in Grand Cayman’s crown.
While seasonal sand movement has for decades taken sand from somewhere and given it back elsewhere, depending on the weather and time of year, the problem now is that other factors are interrupting the natural shifts and leaving the beach in a deficit with every major shift.
“Where we have hard infrastructures such as swimming pools, seawalls, properties built in the footprint of where the beach naturally fluctuates (the active beach), we see accelerated rates of erosion and longer recovery times post-storms,” DoE researchers told CNS recently in responce to queries about the future of the beach.
“Hard structures impede the natural beach processes and exacerbate erosion, both at the location of the structure and it can also have knock-on effects along the wider stretch of shoreline,” the department explained. “This is most notable at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach. The beach at the south will recover, but it will not occur as quickly as other parts that have also suffered erosion, as the only natural way for the sand to rebuild and form a beach is from high energy wave activity from the northwest.”
The experts pointed out that if the developments at the southern end were built away from the active beach, the beach would have had a natural sandy beach ridge to provide an additional source of sand to help repair the sand losses. But now all of the sand reserves at the south end of Seven Mile Beach are locked away under the foundations of hard infrastructure.
Responding to the erosion with short-term fixes won’t help and the country now needs to consider the medium and long-term measures that will be required if Seven Mile Beach is to continue to exist in a form that we recognise today, the DoE has said.
“We know that sea levels are rising, and this will bring storm waves further inland, causing structural damage to inappropriately sited development and increased beach erosion. There will come a tipping point when the beach ceases to be present under normal conditions along some parts of Seven Mile Beach because of the presence of hard infrastructure on the active beach,” the experts told CNS.
This is already apparent at the northern end of Boggy Sand Road, where since 2013 the beach has ceased to exist for most of the year. Ironically, in the wake of the recent storms sand has been deposited there for the first time in many years.
Short-term measures, such as beach nourishment, create a number of problems. Sourcing suitable beach quality sand being the main one and the fact that it will soon go the same way as the sand it is replacing. Instead Cayman will need to think about more significant measures, such as “managed retreat” the DoE has warned.
“This involves removing and rebuilding inappropriately sited infrastructure away from the sea,” the experts said, adding that it is a complex strategy requiring a clear and deliberate plan. “It needs extensive and fully inclusive stakeholder engagement and raises some challenging issues, such as who carries the financial burden of paying for managed retreat.”
The DoE said that the National Conservation Council examined the issue at its internal working meeting last month and believes the ministries of environment, planning and tourism need to work together and follow a coordinated approach to beach erosion. A starting point would at least be to stop making the problem worse.
Although it has been calling for developments to be set well back from active beaches for decades, the DoE’s advice is more often than not ignored.
“The DoE consistently advocates for developments to be positioned away from the active beach to reduce the vulnerability of development and to preserve the coastline. However, it is for the decision-making bodies to ensure that they follow these recommendations,” the department’s officials added.
Coastal setbacks continue to be waived by the Central Planning Authority and the minister responsible for planning has given no indication that the much needed review of set backs will result in them being pushed much further back during this current planning review to at least address future development on the beach.
See DoE ‘s explanation of 7MBs natural sand movement below:
Seven Mile Beach (SMB) has been the subject of a number of studies over the years, dating back to 1977 (Roberts) up to very recently when the Department of Environment completed a study on the long-term behaviour of the beach, which was completed this year.
The beach is located on the leeward side of Grand Cayman so isn’t exposed to frequent bad weather. However, when we do get larger waves reaching the shoreline of Seven Mile Beach, it can have a significant effect on the beach. We see seasonal changes in the position of the beach and we also see drastic changes as a result of more extreme wave activity.
We see two seasonal patterns that affect SMB. Winter cold fronts bring waves from the north-westerly quadrant (Nor’westers) which have two important roles. These waves are believed to bring new sediment onto Seven Mile Beach from around the NW Point ironshore headland, and they are also important in helping to move sand down the beach in a north to south direction.
It is this wave action that helps to replenish and rebuild the beaches at the southern end which suffer from frequent erosion. In summer, we are exposed to the occasional seas from the south-west quadrant which have the opposite effect of the winter cold fronts. Waves from the south west push sand in a northerly direction and strip the south end of Seven Mile Beach of sand, and it gets redeposited further up Seven Mile Beach. We have micro-scale variations on these patterns, but this is the general picture.
Some years we may have no Nor’westers and this can be problematic for the south end of Seven Mile Beach e.g. from Royal Palms heading south down to Plantation Village as they need this wave energy to mobilise sand and move it in a north to south direction. With the natural patterns of sand movement we know that the beach can fluctuate by over a 100 feet in some parts between erosion or beach growth.
Category: development, Local News, Science & Nature
Government needs to impose a small infrastructure fee on all the hotels and condos on SMB. If the owners know that if they screw things up that the infrastructure fee could be raised to correct these issues then they might think twice.
Please publish the entire study including the names AND QUALIFICATIONS of the authors. DOE is the Department of Emotion and IF they are scientists, they should know well enough to call on subject matter experts to study this issue instead of relying on their emotional and gut reactions. Not a single one of DOE’s staff are specifically qualified in this area. Let’s see the report please !!
Also the report by the builders and profit makers on how their endeavor will not hurt the environment just so they can line their pockets.
Just a report, no hysterics please.
So unhelpful.
Can anyone explain the sand on Hogsty Bay, all the way going north to Ports of Call? When Northwesters came in before they built those WALLS in GT the sea would bring in the sand down Mary street with lobsters and fish. Come on think look at the color of the sand by Lobster pot or burger king, 7-11. The walls have very little to do with 7-mile beach sand. We forget this island is a mountain. Most of our sand washes down over “the wall” to the bottom of the mountain. I’m sure scientists can explain storms bring in the sand to the beaches. The piers would have blocked the sand from falling as much. If you want more sand build a wall further out. It will trap the sand like OLD Pageant Beach hotel.
Can’t fix stupid!
@9:10pm Okay I’m going to say this to you, no matter what foolishness you bring up about building the Cruise Port, it is not the people’s will that it should be built..
Even the sore losers, PPM, have finally got it that this is not going to happen.
If you believe building a Port or walls into the sea will help keep sand in place, you are a complete idiot.
The only good thing to come out of COVID for Cayman is that it stopped the lunatics pushing the cruise piers forward.
What more does one need to prove the point that disrupting the natural currents along the beach takes it away?
VOTE NO!
Thank God both the Cruise Port and the PPM are now resting in moth balls..and hopefully for a long time.
Grapetree and cocoplums scrubs are very effective in controlling erosion but they are disappearing due to over development and greed.I believe planting them and at least 500 coconut trees would bring many benefits to problem we’re facing due to slack planning laws and a lack of respect by developers.
Plant mangroves in front of all 3 developments and build back the natural defenses. You can still have 5-star luxury – you just need to educate stupid.
10:13 am Can stupid be educated? Surely if the Planning Laws were adhered to we wouldn’t have buildings in the sand. Where are the fines for those who destroy the iron shore and mangroves without planning permission? Who is protecting us!
The problem is they pay the measly fines..It’s a part of doing business in Cayman..
Go ahead and build it and then apply for an after the fact rubber stamp for AlT and the CPA and pay a small fine and you are good to go.
This new Government needs to do away with this loophole and inform the new CPA that if someone builds outside of planning permission that the structure must come down…period!
Mangroves are sexist. Plant some peoplegroves and we good.
Groves are from West Bay, which is discrimination against East Enders.
* Buildings do not cause beach erosion
* Buildings do NOT cause beach erosion
* Buildings do NOT CAUSE beach erosion
* Buildings DO-NOT-CAUSE-BEACH-EROSION!
Buildings do not cause beach erosion anymore than TREES by the shoreline cause beach erosion.
Currents, Tides, Wind Storms cause beach erosion and shifting of sand.
If the buildings were not there, THE BEACH WOULD HAVE STILL ERODED
The building only give you a point of reference as to how much the beach eroded and actually prevents and further erosion to occur!
If trees or a road was there, the erosion would have occurred until it eroded to the trees. The beach would still be GONE!
In Ivan, the erosion was so severe, entire roads were eroded, and beaches were created where there were never beaches.
Please stop thinking with your emotions!
Critical Thinking is dead.
10:12, You obviously have no understanding on how building a wall on a beach impacts beaches.
Please start doing some research and study basic beach science. Not really that difficult.
So, a lot of scientific research has gone into this and the scientists have concluded that building too close to the shore erodes beaches. But for no science-based reason, you have decided that you don’t like this conclusion so it must be wrong. But you remain convinced that it is the scientists and not you who are thinking with emotions.
Using my critical thinking, I conclude that you are an idiot.
12:59; Guaranteed they support Trump.
Get over it.
Ironic comment of the hour.
@10.12am – You only have to say it three times for it to be true. Ya know?
Ever built a sand castle on the beach and poured in some water for a moat, Numpty?
Truly can’t fix stupid!
Please publish the entire study including the names AND QUALIFICATIONS of the authors. DOE is the Department of Emotion and IF they are scientists, they should know well enough to call on subject matter experts to study this issue instead of relying on their emotional and gut reactions. Not a single one of DOE’s staff are specifically qualified in this area. Let’s see the report please !!
10:12; critical thinking?
Have the looked at the photo accompanying this article; look at the foreground vs the background; no beach vs beach; wall at shoreline vs buildings in background behind tree line……
Does it register now?
Photos and video doesn’t help fix stupid either…
Plus buildings supply oxygen to the environment.
@10:12am
Critical thinking does not seem to be your forte either. Sounds like you are a developer.
I sat in a restaurant the other day in earshot of a well known developer and his foreign born real estate agent chatting about the new government changing the the Planning Board trying to protect the environment and saying that the new government in his words are “stepping over dollars for pennies.”
People like you don’t care about what happens to us, our environment or our beaches. You come here, get status, build like crazy and don’t care where you build or how you build simply because you knew the PPM and CPA were in your back pockets. You don’t care because you have somewhere else to go but we don’t..The whole reason you come here is because you are not able to do this in your own country. We have made many of you millionaires, if not billionaires and I have yet to see one developer other than DART do anything to give back to these islands and its people. It’s a crying shame.
I am hoping that just getting rid of the old board will send a clear message to the developers that they have to be more responsible. We need development but not a constant “rubber stamping” of every project without regard to our environment.
Too late for that..Alden made sure he gave Cabinet Status Grants to Fraser Wellon and Ergun Bersksoy to ensure that they could continue to have their way..
Their pockets are deep and they might not have the political clout of DART but when enough cash is circulated things can get approved miraculously.
Idiot …,,,
What a stupid. I wish you would sign your name so we all can give you the stupid trophy.
When humans build walls within the wavelength of breaking waves, the surrounding sand is hydraulically quarried, plunged, and redeposited elsewhere. That’s basic physics. There are also many parts of SMB that have never had more sand. eg. The Beach Club has been a huge beneficiary. Wait til the turtle breeding season and nor’wester wave action is finished, redistribute the sand with heavy equipment to an agreed depth that everyone can live with. Sharing is caring.
Exactly. If you build walls along a beach, the sand goes. Sometimes that’s the plan – e.g. if you want boats to be able moor up against the wall. But how these walls were ever approved along 7MB is a mystery and a scandal. of course the beach will go.
No – tear down the walls!
Hi, not sure you or if anyone will ever read this, but when you say “Beach Club” are you referring to Regal or South Bay??? Just from the U.S. looking to purchase is all and not sure of lingual.
With the extreme erosion at The Marriott and Regal I’m assuming South Bay is benefiting. Will the Marriott and Regal have to be rebuild to get the beach back?? If they do well that take away what had built at South Bay?? Is buying at South Bay better than Regal on SMB??? Well that change here in 5-10 years??? Or where might’ve a better 3M investment for retirement condo rentable when not there (only 50% of the year we plan), or is Regal the place to buy and when buildings have to shift back we have a newer developed condo on the NOW “better” end of SMB????
Regal has beach because their wall was further back from the water. The Marriott wall is probably about 25-30ft beyond the Regal Beach wall. The problem is that Regal Beach has been getting eroded because the sand is being swept into the ocean behind the Marriott. As of now the Marriott has no beach whatsoever. Regal Beach has closed theirs to install another seawall after losing theirs in the last storm. The sad thing is that instead of having a study done to figure out how to engineer this wall so that it will lessen the effects of sand leaving the beach they are simply rebuilding the old one. No one thinks about the environment, only about how inexpensively they can get stuff done.
So true but you can’t blame them the CPA approved it. It was an excellent opportunity to do the right thing but with the heavy hand of the Turkish the CPA were rendered useless..XXXX.
If there is one thing I will always give PACT great credit for was getting rid of that XXXX board. Can you imagine what would have happened to us with Alden pushing development regardless of the environment and Al’T rubber stamping every project that cam before the CPA board?
Dart’s seven mile beach leisure gazebo, with it’s public-impeding pilings drilled well below the high water mark, long before these storms, was somehow approved by PLA or disregarded by DOE and beach patrol police. We need a new PLA department and new DOE that are consistent in their advocacy for public good, not preferred developer comforts. The Casuarina trees that were felled from percussive seawall failure in the same spot, are still alive, and need to be propped back upright by a hoist, at landowner’s expense. They are a hazard. That should have been ordered a couple weeks ago.
I blame cats.
Glad someone isn’t pussyfooting around the issue.
purrfect.
Thanks, your approval got me feline fine.
Yeah literally everything has gone to shit since that trash movie was released.
They’re categoricall catastrophic!
if we had tourists I wonder who would have actually cleaned all the rocks, rubbish and plastic along SMB it currently looks a complete third world mess.
CPA – STOP APPROVING plans for hotels, condos and mansions so close to the beach!!
If they had realized this years ago – this would not be a problem now.
Good idea, lets remove all structures on the west side of West Bay Road starting with the Kimpton Seafire Hotel. After all we don’t need these buildings anymore since tourism has ceased to exist.
Agreed!
Disappointingly the DoE point blank refused to allow any scientific study at the marriotts expense of this problem which means any options will less informed than they otherwise might have been. Also recall this has been the beach’s most active year for the punishing waves taking sand to the north and remember back in March the southern end was the best it had been in decades. What would be useful would be a willingness to think about medium term fixes pending the redevelopment of the southern end with greater set backs. One could see the Marriott being redeveloped and an ambitious plan might call for the simultaneous redevelopment of Tamarind and Plantation, both old resorts which could be set back on a smaller footprint with more storeys. Will require a skillful developer and might be 5-10 years out but will probably happen in the long run.
“Disappointingly the DoE point blank refused to allow any scientific study at the marriotts expense of this problem” – that is a lie and you know it.
Logical test – can the DoE actually stop anyone from doing a study of the beach at the person’s own expense? No, obviously they can’t.
Stop Trolling just because you want someone (“a skillful developer”) to redevelop your property.
Exactly, and how short is your memory..Remember all the stupid thing the Marriott did to try to save their beach after being told not to extend the deck out on to the beach and building their swimming pool?
If you don’t remember jump in the water and see all the reef ball they deposited there and never removed. Only good thing about them is that juvenile fish are using them as reefs..
Tell dart to fix it, I’m sure he has the money to replace the sand.
Dart built back from the beach.
You might have missed the wall behind his residence!
Dart has lost approximately 8 feet vertical of sand at Coral beach due to the wall which was built there.
Was already a wall there when he purchased the property. It wasn’t as high, though that’s irrelevant.
Actually, the height of the walls is relevant if they can no longer be overtopped, thereby increasing the reflective (seaward) force of the waves.
The seawalls should be curved to take the power out of the waves as done in other countries.
Thanks Chris..Regal Beach had the perfect opportunity to do this but the Turkish majority owner made sure not another thin dime was spent other than the insurance money. They couldn’t give a rats behind about the environment.
Really !!! Did Dart really built back from the beach? The building maybe a little back, but a restaurant is/was only a few feet from the water!!!! Stop approving applications and use what our forefathers used “common sense”, we don’t need all these studies!!!! Just common sense. Slow these islands down and stop this madness. Stop the greed.
Yes Dart really did build back from the beach. The restaurant in question was already there. Dart only improved it.
This is CIG’s problem. Everyone who has a modern education can see that CIG is not good at fixing anything, not good at building anything, and not good at anything to do with money. Dart is smart. Which is why you turn to him. Better to just leave it the way it is and please try not to “fix” it. But we all know what will happen.
Just as well DART did not take out all the bedrock by Kimpton, Tiki and Calicos like they planned too.
SMB is The only thing of value in the Cayman Island, the National Treasure, God given natural Jewel to be guarded and protected at all times at all cost. Every decision to be made must start with: How it is going to affect SMB?
What do we see instead?
Unless constructing artificial islands is being planned, beach land reclamation must start today. A bankrupt island with disappeared SMB isn’t going to attract anyone.
The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.
Clearly, God can’t stand stupid.
have been asking this for years and will keep asking:
how much have sea levels risen in cayman over the last 10/20 years?
plus when was the last time u heard a caymanian mla even discussing this topic?
sorry but i have lost trust in the doe and their explanation is confusing and contradictory to say the least.
but then again, how can anybody trust anything the civil service does due to the world class levels of incompetence?
time to bring in top international experts
Incompetence can not understand experts so that will not be allowed here. Learn your history. Bringing in an outside expert will only piss off the 20,000 or so local experts.
Our ‘World’ famous beach had already reduced to 5.5 mile beach before this storm season. Can you walk from Comfort Suites all the way up and into West Bay anymore without getting your feet wet? If not Seven Mile Beach should be renamed to Four Mile Beach.
I think the most interesting post so far is the theory regarding the trees and if we hadn’t deforested the place the beach would still be there. If you look at Barkers and Spotts there is an abundance of trees and so seems a logical explanation to me. No doubt the environmentalist nerds with be blaming global warming.
Lol you had me until your last sentence
Experts say rising sea levels … If true and if so, Cayman would be underwater by now. Utter rubbish.
These “experts” probably believe large waves due to storms are due to climate change. Foolishness, propaganda and brainwashing.
Trump? Is that you?
9:46am – you are going to be praying for Trump or someone like Trump when this shit hit the fan!!! Some come!!! All we have here is yes men and sell out idiots.
why would Cayman be underwater now? sea level rising is slow, but speeding up.
its like saying experts say the world population is increasing too much,…..if true and if so, the World would have 100,000 trillion people, so must be utter rubbish, lol
Someone has their head in the soon to be lost sand.
I can tell you I have observed the small changes affecting us here already based on how far a few docks used to be above the high water mark that are now regularly partially submerged.
If you move the Marriott back it will have to sit on the West Bay Rd and a tunnel will be needed for traffic, all at some cost, but for nothing.Climate change is producing higher water levels and stronger storms, so building further back from the high tide mark will have no effect in the long run as sand will still be lost. The missing sand is not far away, just underwater. Pump it out on a regular basis and redeposit it on the original beach area, a lot cheaper than moving buildings back. As for marine life, most has disappeared off the West Bay Beach over the years as has the coral. What’s left should not be affected.
The Marriott was living on borrowed time. I remember when they built the hotel, they surveyed the property when the beach was at historic size so they could push the boundary as close to the sea as possible. Everyone knew this was wrong but the law and planning allowed it. They should be forced to demolish the hotel and rebuild in the parking lot.
I recall when the Marriott was being built, and to a small extent was involved in the meetings that took place at Pagoda Restaurant (across the street) with the developers every Friday.
The Planning Department, which at that time actually had input into such plans before being subjugated to the politically-appointed Planning Board, reviewed the plans and told the developers that the pool had to be moved back towards the road by 50 feet to meet planning requirements.
The developers, led by a ball-headed arrogant man from Tennessee who had no respect for anything Caymanians said to him, revised the plans and submitted them back to the Planning Department.
Once the plans were approved, the developers instructed the construction company to build according to the original plans. When the Planning Department were alerted to the pool going in the original location they went to the Marriott site and stopped the construction.
The developers then got their lawyers and brought it before Executive Council, our politicians, who approved a “compromise” of moving the pool back 20 feet.
Basically, the Marriott problem started on that day, and the rest of the developments were able to add to the problem since the precedent had been set.
Thanks for the historical context and the decision making trail. Any ideas who were on ExCo at the time and how they voted?
It was the late 80’s if I recall correctly, so whoever won the 1988 elections. It was built under the Radisson brand.
All I have to say is..speak to these two..
Joey Who
Rubber Stamp Al’T
George, seriously, I am worried about you..Really pump the sand up on the beach? What happens when the next round of wave come? are going to go pump it back on the beach?
For God’s sake, if you are going to talk foolishness don’t let people know it’s you.
Remove the offending illegal wall which started it all.
George, you are absolutely right. There is enough sand in Cuba to make a hundred mile beach. It is trivially easy to send a barge up there, wash the sand in the ocean on the way back, and put it on the beach. And, locals can make a decent profit in doing so as well as providing needed funds for Cubans. The people advocating destroying buildings will be the first one’s out there enjoying the new beach!!!
Thankfully this happened before the Port was built or you know that would have gotten the blame
This is a process of El Niño it has happened a couple decades for as long as we Caymanians can remembers.
Like Christmas Breeze which one local news organization decided was now Severe Weather
Yes, and as a Caymanian I remember the beach at Plantation Village 20 years ago.
The process of El Niño, I am afraid, is never bringing back the beach.
Except that 2020 is in a La Niña phase.
I’ve been here 11 years and the change has been shocking i can only imagine how sad this is for the true locals CPA has a lot to answer for !!!
CNS Please can you tell/ask what make the DoE ‘experts’ on beach erosion? I have found in the past when property owners island wide have asked for advice/guidance and permsission for sand management, DoE have not been able to give any advice that could be considered ‘expert’.
You can read their credentials on the DOE website. All have at least a bachelors degree in marine biology. I would say that’s a good start. Also they have been warning people about artificial structures for decades. Time speaks volumes. There always has to be a naysayer.
I am not an expert, but I would say that Marine Biology is not Oceanography or some more specific category of wave/sand movement.
No, but many marine biology courses incorporate oceanography. You cant understand one without the other professor.
“The department has recently completed a study on the long-term behaviour of Seven Mile Beach, which has been the subject of research here stretching back to the mid 1970s.”
But you might be confusing science with engineering. Or you might be upset because you got an answer you didn’t want to hear.
Something escapes everyones train of thought though.
Years ago when there were grapetrees, weeping willow, coconut trees, cocoplum bushes, Jennifer bushes along 7mile beach there was alot of sand on the beaches.
Sure the sand would move up and down along 7mile beach but it was piled high.
Since the removal of all these trees and bushes to accommodate all the million dollar developments along 7mile beach the sand had nothing to keep it there and the sand disappeared.
Its the root systems of these trees and bushes that kept the sand there.
Want proof.
1) Go look at the beach in front of the Governor’s residence. Its still there.
2) Before Ivan, South Sound, just east of the launch ramp had sand beaches (albeit not the best). After Ivan took all the trees and bushed the sand disappeared and was nothing but rocks and muck. Since some of the trees and bushes are coming back, the sand is returning now.
Check it out for yourself…
Well said. But you forgot to mention sea grape trees/bushes. And even the burr grass and various native vine species helped with beach ridge stabilization back in the day.
But if by “weeping willow” you’re referring to casuarinas, they are not a particularly good stabilizing influence on the beaches because
(a) Their root systems are not deep enough compared to the height they grow so they aren’t physically stable to hold up in strong storms, as we saw after Hurricane Ivan with so many of them toppled over;
and worse yet:
(b) The casuarina is an invasive species that lays down a thick carpet of shed needles with a waxy coating that takes a relatively long time to decompose, so much so that it prevents other more physically stable species of native bushes and trees from taking root (e.g. sea grape, jennifer bush, cocoplum, and various vines).
i’d believe this more than the fuzzy thinking of doe…
Thank you. This goes without saying, no need for proof. Only those who want to continue building on SMB would argue.
There were trees and vegetation in front of the Marriott in 1998. The decline has been slow, but steady over the past 20 years.
History repeating itself? This was being reported back in 2007/8 and without proper set back it will just keep on happening. The worst aspect of it is that the sand being washed away is (or more accurately has?) choked all the coral on SMB. At the end day you can’t have beach front property development and a pristine environment – get used to it!
Sounds good in theory George but it’s rather like pissing money away on fixing a decrepit leaky boat. The root of the problem will still exist after millions wasted on an exercise in futility.
Pumping sand up on the beach? From where, George? Genuine question – where do you think that sand will come from?
7.04pm Where it went to.
Cuba
Thank you for this article I learned from it.
If we want to properly manage 7 mile Beach we should not allow building hard structure too close the the beach and should remove the existing hard structures.
Only question not answered is, what is too close?
Minimum 50 metres/yards. That’s the rule of thumb in most places. In Cuba it’s even further, something like 100-200 metres. Visit Varadero some day then you’ll realise what a tip SMB has turned into.
If you don’t fix the problem, all the sand you ‘pump’up will simple go away. In front of my condo the strata typically brings in sand 3x/year. Your ‘fix’ will last a few months.
A horrible ides and a waste of money.
Don’t band-aid this issue, fix it.
Start by enforcing stricter building setbacks.
But hey, that would require a competent, un-bought-off, legislature; which we don’t have.
I doubt the part about natural sand reserves being locked away under foundations. From what Ive seen the first thing they do is dig out all the sand and fill the huge holes with limestone. This wouldnt be so bad if the sand were deposited back on the beach but instead it is hauled away to be use to fill in the swamp for the next project. Now we are talking about beach nourishment. Who pays for that? I doubt it will be the people who hauled it off. How can the government be so short sighted but pretty soon there wont be enough sand to stick their heads in.
DOE and CIG since the 1980’s – Let out Horse then shut barn door.
Nature rules. Why on earth do we fail to remember. CPA is to blame. Allowing the rich and not so much caring people to build homes, hotels, restaurants etc too close to the water mark and in a few cases beyond it all for the love of money. We reap what we sow. No pity for any of them.
Marriott already lost their beach, the rest of seven mile will be next if we don’t do something about these companies building basically on the ocean!
they will pay the annual million to get a new load, no biggie
What will we call it then? Seven Mile Bitch?
who is building on the ocean…?
time for specifics not soundbites