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Advisory #5A for Tropical Storm Andrea and Delaware Beaches Forecast 6-6-13 – Video

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Advisory #5A for Tropical Storm Andrea and Delaware Beaches Forecast 6-6-13
Advisory #5A for Tropical Storm Andrea and the beach forecast for Delaware Beaches for June 7, 2013. Advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miam.

By: AliceintheWonder1and

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Advisory #5A for Tropical Storm Andrea and Delaware Beaches Forecast 6-6-13 - Video

Beaches conference to focus on lessons from Sandy

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Posted: 1:07 PM Updated: 7:33 PM Storm surge is the state's biggest concern, experts say.

By CLARKE CANFIELD/The Associated Press

PORTLAND When the biggest of storms strikes the Maine coast, it won't be high winds that cause the most damage. It'll be the storm surge.

click image to enlarge

Two teenagers leap out of the way as a large wave crashes over a seawall on the Atlantic Ocean in Kennebunk during the early stages of Sandy last October. Much of the destruction from Sandy was caused by the storm's surge. The impacts of the storm, and what lessons Maine can learn from it, will be a focus of next week's 2013 Maine Beaches Conference.

2012 file photo/The Associated Press

Much of the destruction from Superstorm Sandy last fall was caused by the storm's surge, when rising seawater pushed by powerful winds came ashore and brought widespread flooding and damage to New York and New Jersey.

Sandy's impact and the lessons Maine can learn from the storm will be a focus of next week's 2013 Maine Beaches Conference.

The highest storm tide -- the combination of tide level and storm surge -- in Portland was recorded during the blizzard of 1978, said Stephen Dickson, a marine geologist with the Maine Geological Survey who will speak at the conference. On Feb. 7, 1978, a 2.5-foot storm surge combined with an 11.6-foot tide resulted in a total storm tide of 14.1 feet, he said.

But geologists recently learned that there have been storm surges of 4, 5 and 6 feet through the decades in Portland, according to tide gauge records going back to 1912. The highest storm surge on record was 6.5 feet, on Jan. 24, 1921, but that occurred during low tide so its impact was minimal.

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Beaches conference to focus on lessons from Sandy

Peter Greenberg: The Best U.S. Beaches for the July 4 Weekend

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Independence Day weekend means fireworks, barbecues and beaches. It's not just about travel deals for the holiday or even at the beach. Instead, it's about the experience. All across the U.S., there are standout beaches where you'll find giant sand dunes, hidden beach inlets, wild horses, fishing, and sea glass. Here are my picks for the eight of the best beaches across the U.S.

East

Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland Wild horses trotting along the shore? The Assateague ponies are truly wild, surviving tough conditions on this barrier island, and they're incredibly beautiful to watch. It's not just beach wild-life, the shoreline is wild and natural as well--great for hiking, photography, rugged camping, and biking.

Asbury Park, New Jersey You might be surprised to see this one...but Asbury Park has made quite a comeback since Hurricane Sandy. Dozens of business were struggling earlier this year, and the recovery was an expensive undertaking, but the Asbury Park boardwalk and the beach were the first to reopen after Hurricane Sandy and things are back in business. This is a fun and family-friendly beach experiences, with summer concerts, a mile of beachfront, and a busy boardwalk.

North Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan Not all beaches are by the ocean! Next to Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes has 35 miles of coastline and encompasses beaches, forests and sand dunes. The entire region was carved out by ancient glaciers and the dunes are actually made of glacial sand. Not really designed for sunbathing, this area is more for canoeing, swimming, hiking the 13 trails and climbing those incredible dunes (or just look at them from the observation deck).

Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine First things first...brace yourself before getting in the water -- it only reaches the high 50s on the hottest days. Still, you'll see plenty of crazy people (and lots of kids) enjoying it. Located inside Acadia National Park, this 290-yard beach is a true hidden gem. The sand is mostly made of shell fragments, crab skeletons and other shellfish. The beach is actually in an inlet between the mountains and shores of Mount Desert Island, accessible via Park Loop Road.

South Clearwater Beach, Florida The marketing brochures aren't lying when they talk about powdery white sand and clear Gulf waters. This is the real deal, with water that is warm all year round and sunshine most days of the year. The sand is so fine and white that it stays cool (doesn't burn your feet!). It's consistently voted the best urban beach on the Gulf of Mexico. You do have to get past the touristy trappings like the high-rise hotels and souvenir shops, but the cool thing is there are tons of activities for families. Just walking along Pier 60 is an event, with plenty of dining and activities.

Tybee Island, Georgia There are several barrier islands in the South worth mentioning, but Tybee Island is extremely accessible from Savannah (about 20 minutes east), totally laid back and a fantastic choice for families. Only 2.7 square miles, this barrier island has that quiet beach town attitude and the beach is 100 percent public. Family-friendly activities include dolphin tours, a pirate festival, art galleries and boutiques, the historic Fort Pulaski National Monument, Tybee Island Lighthouse, water sports, and shell collecting. Fishermen come in daily to bring in fresh Georgia shrimp, or you can fish for your own catch right off the pier.

West Polihua Beach, Lanai, Hawaii This is where you go when you really want to get away. Not only is Lanai the most laid back of the islands, but you can go to this beach and be the only ones there. It's 1.5 miles long, located on the northwestern side of the island. This isn't for the faint of heart: the water is not safe for swimming, the winds can get strong, there are no facilities, and there's a reason it's so isolated -- getting here requires a Jeep on a bumpy road. But it's so worth it once you get there...you'll have all that golden sand to yourself and a day's worth of stunning photo ops.

Glass Beach, California This Fort Bragg beach was actually used as a dump in Mendocino County, and was even known locally as The Dumps. That practice ended in 1967 and there were major cleanup projects in the late 1990s and early 2000. But what's amazing is that the glass from littered bottles still remains... in the form of smooth, brightly colored polished stones! It's home to one of the highest concentrations of sea glass in the world. Although you're not supposed to steal the glass stones (it's now part of a protected state park), many have, so the volume is less than it used to be, but it's still a beautiful experience.

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Peter Greenberg: The Best U.S. Beaches for the July 4 Weekend

RI to highlight water quality efforts at beaches

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AP/July 3, 2013

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and state officials are highlighting efforts to improve water quality at Rhode Islands beaches.

The Rhode Island Democrat will be joined on Wednesday morning by officials with the state departments of health and environmental management to discuss the states water monitoring program and other efforts to keep beaches clean. The event is being held at the Bristol Town Beach pavilion.

Officials say the state has made progress improving water quality in recent years. In 2008, bacteria levels at Rhode Island beaches exceeded state water quality levels 15 percent of the time. Last year, it was down to 5 percent of the time.

Rhode Island has some 250 beaches along approximately 400 miles of coast along the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay.

Copyright 2013 Globe Newspaper Company.

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RI to highlight water quality efforts at beaches

How useful is the Malibu Beaches app?

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With summer in full swing, the recent launch of a new iPhone app designed to identify hidden public access points along the citys 27 miles of beaches made big news. Many hailed the app as a victory for public access over NIMBYism,while some local residents worriedabout an influx of visitors to areas without adequate sanitation,lifeguard or police presences.

This week, The Malibu Times put the controversial app to the test to see whether the information actually does provide easy access to the hidden beaches, and whether there were restroom, lifeguards and other beach amenities present on the beaches.

We were able to access the beaches we selected with relative ease, but the app left something to be desired when we found ourselves strolling in the sand with very little more than ocean and rocks aheadand no warning.

The app, co-created by Jenny Price, began making waves in May when a $30,000 Kickstarter campaign launched to create an app providing information where hidden accessways in Malibu can be found. Since its June 1 iTunes release, it has been downloaded about 16,000 times and garnered a 4.5 (out of 5) user rating, which comes as a pleasant surprise to its creator.

The app has exceeded my expectations in a number of ways, Price said this week. We wanted the app to be user-friendly. Im super pleased that people are finding it so easy to use.

The app contains access points for 25 Malibu beaches. Many are smaller beaches in the middle of residential areas. Others are currently closed because they are tied up in litigation on behalf of landowners and residents wishing to keep the land private.

Though full of easy-to-comprehend information about how to access the beaches, the app lacks information about lifeguards and restrooms. In some cases, a more clearly defined explanation of exactly how difficult some beaches are to access, users of the otherwise helpful app should proceed with caution.

Only five of Malibus beachesZuma, Nicholas, Point Dume, Corral and Surfriderhave established lifeguard stations.

Zuma Beach lifeguard Captain Smith said the smaller pocket beaches, such as Escondido, are always patrolled by a two-man LR300 unit and an area captain, but there is no established lifeguard tower. Both Smith and the app caution against using beaches without a lifeguard present.

The thing is, the ocean is ultimately always in charge, Smith said. You know never know what the oceans going to do. Thats why we have so many towers spread all over Zuma.

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How useful is the Malibu Beaches app?

Around the Region: Beaches cities’ budget process on display

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NEPTUNE BEACH

Cities budget process on display Beaches Watch will host a public Beaches Budget 101 presentation by the three Beaches city managers at the 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, group meeting in the Neptune Beach City Hall Council Chambers, 116 First St. The managers will discuss the budget process for their cities, including an overview of each budget, important points and areas of concern and the plan for the budget approval process. The Beaches cities will be finalizing and approving their 2013-2014 budgets by the end of September, said Beaches Watch president Sandy Golding. For more, call (904) 513-9242.

BAKER

Traffic shifts to make way for new span The C.R. 229 temporary bridge over the southern prong of the St. Marys River is being replaced with a $1.9 million permanent bridge to finish work begun after Tropical Storm Debby swept through the area last year. The contractor plans to build the new Greens Creek Bridge and roadway, then shift traffic to the new bridge before removing the temporary bridge. Pile driving will be necessary while the bridge foundation is constructed. Pile driving will not be allowed after 7 p.m. or on Sundays. Traffic may be detoured while dirt is removed at both ends of the bridge in the fall.

CLAY

New judge for Eighth circuit James Colaw, deputy director of the Clay County State Attorneys Office since 2009, has been appointed as a circuit court judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit covering Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union counties. I am so proud of James and the stellar work he has done in Clay County. We will miss him and wish him the very best, said State Attorney Angela Corey. Colaw began his career as a prosecutor in Baker County in 1998. He received his bachelors degree from Carnegie Mellon University and his law degree from the University of Florida.

AMELIA ISLAND

Tourism expected to heat up as summer unfolds Gil Langley, president and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, said June and July are the two busiest months of the year for Amelia Island tourism. Tourism accounts for approximately 34 percent of the local economy. More than a quarter of the nonfarm labor force is employed in tourist-related activities. Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach tourism, in numbers of visitors and economic impact, is on the rise. During the first quarter of 2013, the number of visitors increased by 9 percent over the same period in 2012, resulting in a corresponding rise in revenue of almost 16 percent for the same period. About 122,200 visitors spent $74,055,600, resulting in an economic impact of $97,435,000 on the island.

ST. JOHNS

Day After Beach Clean-Up set for Friday Keepers of the Coast, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting coastal stewardship and the conservation of coastal habitat, is recruiting volunteers for the fifth annual Day After Beach Clean-Up on Friday. The community-wide effort will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at several beach access points, including Vilano Beach Access Ramp, A-Street Beach Access Ramp, St. Augustine Pier, Micklers Beachfront Park in Ponte Vedra and Crescent Beachfront Park. The clean-up will be the second in the Summer Daze Beach Clean-Up Series. The final clean-up will take place at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on Aug. 2. More details about these clean-ups can be found at http://www.keepersofthecoast.org.

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Around the Region: Beaches cities' budget process on display

Beaches back to normal after fecal contamination

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LA CROSSE, Wis. -

The next time you take a dip in the Mississippi, you might want to think twice about what you're splashing around in.

The La Crosse County Health Department had to close Pettibone Beach and issue a warning at Goose Island Beach last week after they found soaring counts of fecal contamination in the water.

All of La Crosse County's public beaches are testing at safe levels again, so they're all open for swimmers.

"The reason we close the beaches is for E. coli. It's in the water. It usually occurs during rain events. It's washed in," said La Crosse County Health Department Sanitarian David Sawvell.

The department tests Pettibone, Goose Island and Black River Beach twice a week during the summer.

Pettibone Beach was closed for four days last week after the county discovered 1,600 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters of river water.

"When the count reaches 1,000, we have to close it. Then they test every day after that. And if they get consistent results, then you know that there's something lingering there, said city of La Crosse Aquatics Coordinator Steve Briggs.

Briggs said high levels of E. coli at La Crosse beaches aren't unusual thanks to manure run-off, but it usually happens earlier in the year.

"Because of the rain, the farmers didn't get out in their fields until later. So normally if there was a high count, it would have been earlier, like in the spring time," said Briggs.

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Beaches back to normal after fecal contamination

Mexico’s hidden beaches reached by boat

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Elsewhere around the Baha de Banderas, the bay at whose centre Puerto Vallarta sits, waterborne transport offers the only access to half a dozen more white-sand beaches, including the old hippy hang-out of Yelapa, hemmed in by tropical hills and coconut palms. Yelapa has managed to retain a rustic, laid-back feel, despite the arrival of day trippers, electricity and satellite dishes; locals still hook octopus and surgeonfish from the pier, frigate birds glide over the water and turkey vultures skulk in the trees.

Where to stay

Casa Amorita Just five rooms in the centre of town, with balconies and cool tiled floors; there's a Venetian-tile pool and a roof bar and terrace with spellbinding views of the ocean and cathedral (0052 322 222 4926; casaamorita.com; double rooms from 62).

Casa Velas The pick of the elegant new resorts along Vallarta's northern coast, with spa, golf and several pools; ultra-stylish suites blend Mexican and contemporary decor (322 226 6688; hotelcasavelas.com; from 165).

Where to eat

Joe Jack's Fish Shack Fabulous seafood: this place is best known for its fish and chips and chowders, the tastiest in town; sit at the bar downstairs, or enjoy the views from the rooftop dining area (Basilio Badillo 212; 322 222 2099; joejacks-fishshack.com).

Caf des Artistes Upmarket gourmet dining in a French-Mexican fusion style the intriguing menu features plenty of local seafood (Guadalupe Snchez 740; 322 222 3228; cafedesartistes.com).

What to do

Puerto Vallarta is very much a resort, but with mesmerising sunsets, miles of sandy beaches and a laid-back, colonial centre, it is smaller and more subdued than Acapulco or Cancun. Trips to the Marieta Islands, for the Playa del Amor, are run by Vallarta Under Sea (322 209 0025; vallartaundersea.com). Lanchas for Yelapa and other beaches around the bay leave from Boca de Tomatln, south of town.

About 940 miles to the south east, another lancha blasts out of the bay of Huatulco, heading north to Playa Cacaluta, a gorgeous stretch of sand in another protected national park. Like Playa del Amor, Cacaluta has enjoyed its moment of celebrity: it featured in the breakthrough Mexican film Y Tu Mam Tambin.

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Mexico's hidden beaches reached by boat

Smooth Instrumental Music – Chill Out Lounge Relaxing Beaches *Calm Jazz, G-Funk* – Video

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Smooth Instrumental Music - Chill Out Lounge Relaxing Beaches *Calm Jazz, G-Funk*
A relaxing collection of videos showing the ocean breeze, palm trees and beaches along with a smooth compilation of insrumentals with elements of g-funk, jaz...

By: D-Funkdafied Hip Hop

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Smooth Instrumental Music - Chill Out Lounge Relaxing Beaches *Calm Jazz, G-Funk* - Video

Beaches reopened at Medford clubs

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MEDFORD Two private swimming clubs have reopened their beaches after testing showed bacterial levels had dropped to safe levels.

Oakwood Colony Club and Lake Pine Colony Club closed their beaches last week when tests showed high levels of coliform bacteria in the water.

State law requires weekly testing of the water at swimming lakes, and any result with a score higher than 200 requires the lake be closed to swimmers.

Steve Beach, property manager at Lake Pine Colony Club, said the club reopened its three swimming beaches Friday morning once test results came in.

I dont know the numbers off the top of my head, Beach said, but they were below 200 at all three beaches.

David Volpe, trustee of Oakwood Colony Club, said the club reopened for swimming Saturday morning when test results came in at 10.

Testing was carried out Wednesday at both lakes. Both clubs use Aquatic Services of Howell to monitor their water quality.

Lake Pine officials had attributed the lakes earlier high reading to stormwater runoff from several days of heavy rains. Oakwoods problems were caused by runoff from a nearby sewer, according to Volpe.

Coliform bacteria are typically found in animal and human waste, and high levels are considered a warning that other harmful organisms are present as well.

Tests measure the number of coliform bacteria colonies per 1,000 milliliters of water. A count that shows more than 200 colonies in two consecutive tests, or 400 in a single test, means a beach closure.

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Beaches reopened at Medford clubs


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