Dubai beaches get global quality mark

(Wam) / 24 June 2013

Blue Flag ensures beaches have high standards

Dubai Municipality and the Environmental Centre for Arab Towns have jointly launched the Blue Flag Programme of the Foun-dation of Environmental Education to ensure the safety and cleanliness of beaches in the Emirate of Dubai.

Mohammed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing and Rela-tions Department, presented the programme at the 100th meeting of the Technical Committee of the civic body.

The Blue Flag Programme is the international quality mark awarded by which beach users can ensure that the marina or the beach adheres to the highest global stan-dards. To get this flag, beaches should comply with 32 standards under four main categories, name-ly: water quality, environmental education information, eco-friend-ly management, and safety and services, Noori said.

The Jumeirah and Mamzar beaches are already certified by FEE and are flying the Blue Flag. Other beaches in Dubai are in the process of registration under the Blue Flag Programme and hopefully will have the flag soon, he said.

The programme contributes to the sustainable development of the beach and waterfront projects, as well as the protection of marine environment and public health.

It encourages the community to participate and maintain beaches and marinas, raising the level of awareness of environmental issues.

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Dubai beaches get global quality mark

Goa Beaches in Rains - 2013
Baga, Tito #39;s, Goa, Rain, Monsoon.

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Goa Beaches in Rains - 2013 - Video

As beach-goers flock to the beaches this summer, lifeguards and one Whittier man are warning about the presence of stingrays.

Blake Carter, 23, had been recovering from a sting he suffered Tuesday at Sunset Beach, near Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.

"It's right there, the sting ray barb was right there," said Carter, as he pulled off his sock to reveal a swollen foot.

The picture he took on his cell phone showed his heel, bleeding from the sting he got when he stepped onto a stingray and felt what he described as intense pain.

"It felt like a dog bit me, it was really powerful," said Carter. "It was pretty excruciating, actually."

Warm weather and water attracts the stingrays to Southern California beaches. Last year, Huntington Beach city beaches reached an all-time high of 438 stingray incidents by November due to unseasonably warm weather and water, which are conditions that attract the stingrays, according to the Orange County Register.

Lifeguards are educating beach-goers on how to "shuffle" when approaching the water, a method known as the "stingray shuffle."

"It's very simple," said Kevin Pearsall, a lifeguard supervisor with Bolsa Chica state beach. "You're trying to let the stingray know that you're in the area. As you enter the water, you kind of shuffle to get the sand moving and the area moving, so they know you're coming and they will flee."

Stingray injuries are so common at Huntington Beach city beaches that there is a dedicated recovery room to treat injuries.

"I'm definitely a little bit more cautious and aware," said Carter. "But it's important to realize we are playing in the place they live."

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Stingrays Lurk Along SoCal Beaches

Panaji, June 22 (IANS) South East Asian crude oil, dumped into the Arabian sea by reckless transcontinental ships, are spoiling Goa's beaches, a study by Indian marine scientists has revealed.

The study conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography has fingerprinted the crude, which repeatedly hits the Goan coastline during monsoon in form of sticky, oily tar-balls, and has traced it specifically as South East Asian Crude Oil (SEACO) and not from Bombay High, offshore oilfield located 160 km from Mumbai.

Nikhil Desai, Goa's tourism director, said Friday that the oil spillage occurred in the jurisdiction of the Indian Coast Guard, who are tasked with apprehending ships who illegally dump their oil-lined ballast in the sea.

"It is out of our jurisdiction," he told IANS, adding that by the time the oil spill hit Goa's shores, the damage was already done.

"Compound Specific Isotope 13C analysis brought out a clear representation that all the tar balls samples are from a single source, but not from BH (Bombay High). The cross-plot of hopane biomarker diagnostic ratios also confirms that the source is SEACO," said the study released last week.

"The Middle East countries on the northwest of the Arabian Sea are rich in oil producing fields. But, there is a good demand for SEACO in these countries. The SEACO oil is transported to the Middle East countries through the Arabian Sea. It is possible that the ships that are going to the Middle East with SEACO clean the tanks in the Arabian Sea. The resulting oil undergoes weathering process, leading to tar ball formation," it said.

The tar balls, pudding-like balls of tar formed by constant exposure of crude oil to sea water, were a mystery as they lined up on Goa's beaches year after another, sometimes even threatening the state's tourism prospects.

The tourism authorities here were forced to respond to the tar ball "invasion" with an almost war-like urgency, hiring an army of sweepers and cleaners to wipe the beaches clean off the tar balls, which impart an oil-like smell to the water and deter tourists from a swim and a beach stroll.

"It is concluded that the tar balls that were deposited along the Goa coast during 2010 and 2011 are formed from the tanker-wash derived oil spills and have the characteristics of floating tar balls," said the report recently published in an international journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.

Once released into the sea, the tar balls get caught in the south west monsoon swell and move towards the western coast, specifically Goa, the study said.

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South Asian crude oil spillage spoiling Goa beaches

The raising of the Seaside Award flag

Sheppeys beaches now have proof they are among the best in the country after flags were put up.

Last month we reported how environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy had rewarded the Island in its annual coastline recognition scheme.

Sheerness, Leysdown and Minster have all been given a Seaside Award which means they have clean beaches and are clear of dog mess and litter as well as having fantastic facilities.

They are three of 113 beaches around the country to be presented with the honour this year.

To mark the achievement, flags have been installed at the three sites.

A short service was held at Minster Leas on Wednesday when the flag was raised by the Mayor of Swale Cllr Sue Gent and there were representatives there from Swale council, including its seafront cleaning team, Minster Parish Council and Kent County Council.

Minster Beach was chosen as it missed out on the award in 2012.

Swales seafront officer Ian Arnell said its nice for the cleaning to team to get some recognition.

It was a good crowd, he said. Its nice to see the flags up now so everyone knows we have got the award.

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Sheppey beaches among the country’s best

IBIZA #39;S BEST BEACHES 2013

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IBIZA'S BEST BEACHES 2013 - Video

dirty beaches - mirage hall live at poke festival 2013
video by Jakub Ha scaron;ko.

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dirty beaches - mirage hall live at poke festival 2013 - Video

Lifeguards providing coverage every day

All three beaches in Holiday Shores have passed inspection and are now open and ready for residents to enjoy all the outdoor lakeside activities.

Five lifeguards have been hired to provide coverage daily from 11 a.m. until dusk at Votruba Beach, the largest of the three beaches within the community. The other two smaller beaches, Tamarach and Cedar Beach, do not have lifeguards present.

Lifeguards for the 2013 swimming season are: Sarah Antoff, Marcia Quinn Gaddy, Kenlea Herndon, Calen Lacy and Todd Walkington.

Association Manager Glenn Dalton said, All but one lifeguard returned this year. We always have a good history with our guards. We have a very good crew. A lot of our guards are college students. The thing that people need to understand, is the lifeguards are there for their safety."

"If a lifeguard wants you to do something, please do it, Dalton said.

Each lifeguard is Red Cross certified and equipped with whistle, a cell phone provided by the Holishor Association and a walkie-talkie radio which allows a guard to contact the on duty Holiday Shores public safety officer. A first aid kit is also nearby.

Lifeguards are instructed to contact public safety officers if there is a discipline situation.

Whenever there is a lifeguard on duty a public safety officer is on duty, Dalton said. My lifeguards focus is the water. They are there to lifeguard not to discipline people.

Lifeguards clean off the swim platform located in the cordoned off area for swimming at Votruba Beach before each shift. Diving is allowed from the front side of the platform only. A regulation volleyball net is also set up on the beach and residents are encouraged to bring a volleyball.

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Beaches now open at Holiday Shores

No sooner than they were closed because of bacteria contamination, all 17 Quincy beaches have passed water quality tests and will be open in time for the first weekend of summer. One beach in Braintree and three in Hingham remain closed.

In nQuincy, bacteria levels at Merrymount, Avalon, Mound and Chickatabut beaches were 10 to 20 times the maximum considered safe.

The water was retested on Thursday and the posting was removed on Friday.

The news isn't as good in two other towns.

Smith Beach in Braintree has been closed since June 13. The bacteria level is almost nine times the limit. Also closed are Kimball, North and Seal Cove beaches in Hingham.

Bacteria levels frequently spike following heavy rains, and the South Shore has had a series of storms over the past 10 days.

See water quality test results for each community and for Cape Cod, the South Coast and North Shore.

For more on Quincy beaches, call 617-376-1288, or visit tinyurl.com/ledger-quincy-beaches. For more on Wollaston Beach, call 617-626-4972.

Seventy-five salt water beaches on the South Shore are tested for enterococci, intestinal bacteria found in humans and animals.

High levels of enterococci indicate the waters may also contain other disease-causing microbes that are present in sewage but are more difficult to detect. Bacterial colonies are filtered from three ounces of water and placed on a gel infused with nutrients and chemicals designed to promote growth.

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13 Quincy beaches reopen; four in Braintree, Hingham still closed

When Hurricane Sandy tore apart the New York City coastline last fall, it was hard to imagine that only six months later it would be business as (almost) usual at the beach. The storm devastated 14 miles of coast, leaving behind mounds of debris and the tattered shells of old boardwalks. The city responded with a hyper-fast, $270 million restoration of its eight public swimming beaches. Sand was replaced, new access points were created and protective barriers were constructed. And while the project addressed a lot of logistical and safety issues, it was also a chance for New York City to totally reinvent the coastlines appearance.

Beaches like the Rockaways and Coney Island have long been charming throwbacks to a bygone era with vintage roller coasters and quaint shops, but the new vision will very much bring the New York City coastline into the 21st century. The project began with replacing the old damaged service buildings with 35 new modular pods that contain comfort stations, lifeguard stations and offices. Designed by Garrison Architects, the pre-fabricated, solar-powered buildings are sleek, modern and FEMA-approved, with stilts elevating them above storm-surge levels. In addition to the pods, four brightly colored concrete islands, designed by Sage & Coombe Architects, have been constructed at the Rockaways boardwalk junctures that will provide restrooms and seating areas.

Ramps and stairs lead up to stilted "pods." Image: Garrison Architects

A completed "island" at Rockaway Beach. Photo: Pentagram

A rendering of one of Sage & Coombe's islands. The exterior is painted with an abstracted map of the shoreline. Image: Sage & Coombe Architects

A rendering of an island at 106th Street. Image: Sage & Coombe Architects

Pentagram designed a full range of signage types. Image: Pentagram

The main welcome sign features a photo of the beach. Photo: Pentagram

Each sign features a photo of the beach post-Sandy. Image: Pentagram

Redesigned regulation signs are located at lifeguard stations. Image: Pentagram

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How Hurricane Sandy Brought 21st Century Design to NYC's Beaches

Florida Beaches. Treasure Island. Man in bikini. Vlog: Russian Girl in USA. Part 14
That man in bikini has made my day :-))), and that big fish! I #39;m on the beach in Treasure Island in Florida! Watch my other cool playlists: My trip to Latvia...

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Florida Beaches. Treasure Island. Man in bikini. Vlog: Russian Girl in USA. Part 14 - Video

Always Magic Moments on Barcelona Beaches
Random guy plays for himself but entertains beach...!

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Always Magic Moments on Barcelona Beaches - Video

Seaweed cleared from Gulf Shores beaches
Seaweed cleared from Gulf Shores beaches.

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Seaweed cleared from Gulf Shores beaches - Video

ENJOY RELAXING BEACHES WITH THE DVD A DAY AT THE BEACH
Please visit our website at https://www.worldnaturevideo.com for more DVDs and Downloads.

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ENJOY RELAXING BEACHES WITH THE DVD A DAY AT THE BEACH - Video

1. 3. Visit beaches near Caldas da Rainha and the old town bidos
Visit beaches near Caldas da Rainha and the old town bidos.

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1. 3. Visit beaches near Caldas da Rainha and the old town Óbidos - Video

Heather Liljengren, a field taxonomist with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, examines the seed pods of the Virginia spiderwort at Oakwood Beach, Staten Island. Liljengren collects seeds from across the region for a seed bank of native plants.

Heather Liljengren, a field taxonomist with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, examines the seed pods of the Virginia spiderwort at Oakwood Beach, Staten Island. Liljengren collects seeds from across the region for a seed bank of native plants.

Across the New York region, people are still working to rebuild homes and businesses after the havoc wrought by Hurricane Sandy. But the storm also devastated the dunes and native flora of New York's beaches.

When the city replants grasses on those dunes, it will be able to draw on seeds from precisely the grasses that used to thrive there. That's because of a very special kind of bank: a seed bank run by the Greenbelt Native Plant Center on Staten Island.

Heather Lea Liljengren has been a seed collector and field taxonomist for the New York City Parks Department, which runs the Native Plant Center, for more than five years. She's been on the hunt for new deposits: plant seeds that might ensure the survival of the city's flora.

Traipsing through the swampy wetlands of Staten Island's Oakland Beach, Liljengren crashes through towering phragmites, the common reeds that have invaded the world's wetlands and compete with local grasses. When the grasses get this tall taller than an adult human "It's hard to remember where the trail used to be," Liljengren says.

She says she loves being in a swamp and is thrilled to be out in the wilds of New York City, hunting for seeds that are ripe for collecting. "When people walk around, they maybe just see green. But when I walk around I am drawn to every small flowering thing, from the ground all the way up into the trees."

"Well, what a treat," she says, peering at the blooms of the thin-leafed iris, iris prismatica. "[This is] one of the only spots, I believe, in the five boroughs where this species naturally still exists. ... The insects that will come and pollinate these irises love them."

That's why native flora is so important, Liljengren says: If these plants disappear, then so will the insects. In time, the loss of species will snowball.

Seeds are coaxed out of dormancy in the nursery at the Greenbelt Native Plant Center on Staten Island. The center considers its seed bank the "Library of Congress" for the region's native plants.

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To Rebuild NYC's Beaches, A Native Plant Savings And Loan

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Autumn is considered the quiet season in the Caribbean. Some resorts close in September and October for special maintenance projects, leaving beaches private and intimate for the visitors.

But the Alexandra Resort, located on world acclaimed Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales in Turks and Caicos Islands, will remain open and offers an ideal place for a fall honeymoon. The resort occupies the ultimate address on the stunning white sands of Grace Bay Beach and beautifully landscaped grounds contribute to a picture perfect setting.

After celebrating a wedding enhanced by a cavalcade of fall colours, swap the vibrant oranges and reds of fall leaves for a honeymoon framed by a sensational backdrop of dazzling turquoise waters and pure white sand beaches.

The stunning Turks and Caicos beaches are never crowded, but honeymooners visiting in the autumn may well feel like they have much of Grace Bay Beach all to themselves. The resort offers honeymooners a wonderful experience to start married life together - strolling along an idyllic Caribbean shoreline, swimming in clear turquoise waters, and enjoying privacy and solitude by the resort's large free form swimming pool.

Fall honeymoons at the Alexandra Resort also offer great savings.

Package prices(based on a minimum three night stay) start from just $364 per room per night and include:

Breakfast room service each morning from Mango Reef Barefoot dinner on the beach one evening with Mango Reef $100 credit at Spa Sanay $100 credit with Caicos Dream Tours excursions Welcome bottle of sparkling wine and sweet treat in room upon arrival Complimentary late check out until 1pm Room upgrade when available Reserved signs on two beach chaises each morning until 11am

As an added bonus, honeymooners staying for five nights will receive the fifth night free, and if they stay seven nights, they will also receive a $100 resort credit. This special offer is available for new reservations made directly with the resort, and for travel from September 1 until November 24, 2013.

For more information visit http://www.alexandraresort.com.

Photos: http://www.prlog.org/12159246

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Turks and Caicos Beaches are Open for Fall Honeymoons

From a press release from the Department of Natural Resources...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Five state park swimming beaches have temporarily closed for water quality issues, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The state park beaches at Harry S Truman located in Warsaw, Lake of the Ozarks Grand Glaize beach located in Osage Beach, Pomme de Terres Pittsburg beach located in Pittsburg, St. Joes Monsanto Lake beach located in Park Hills and Wakonda located in La Grange are closed following results of water samples takenMondaythat indicated bacteria levels higher than those recommended for waters used for swimming. Once tests from the public beaches indicate the bacteria levels are within the standard suitable for swimming, the beaches will reopen. The swimming beach at Mark Twain remains closed due to flooding conditions.

Harry S Truman, Lake of the Ozarks, Pomme de Terre and St. Joe state parks have a second designated swimming beach that remains open to the public. Visitors to Harry S Truman state park may stop by the office or fee booth to obtain a pass free of charge to swim at the campground beach. Visitors may also enjoy the beaches at Lake of the Ozarks Public Beach #1, Pomme de Terres Hermitage Beach, and St. Joes Pim Lake beach.

The department collects water samples from all designated beaches in the state park system weekly during the recreational season to determine suitability for swimming. Beaches will be closed for high bacteria when a single E. coli sample exceeds 235 cfu/100ml or when the geometric mean a 30-day rolling average exceeds 126 cfu/100 ml. The sample test results indicate a snap shot of the water quality taken at the beaches at a specific time; however, a single sample does not provide an overall sense of the water quality in the lake where the beach is located.

The department will post the information about the beach status on the website atdnr.mo.govas well asmostateparks.com. Visitors to Missouri State Parks are able to sign up to receive free electronic notices about the status of state park beaches while visiting the departments beach status website.

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Five State Park Beaches Temporarily Closed For Water Quality Issues

It's about time to move past the "let the rich folks pay for the beaches" mindset, according to Protect Our Beaches Inc., a coalition that sponsored what it characterized as a "wake-up call" Saturday at the Boca Resort & Club.

Boca Resort president Rick Hayduk hosted the three-hour informational and feedback session, calling it a "conversion."

"Beaches are truly a national treasure and need re-investment," he said. "We lost half our beaches since Sandy, and the time has come for a formal, long-term plan, a combination of government, private business and citizens to handle anything Mother Nature throws at us."

Speakers talked about the effect of beaches on property values, the fishing industry, tourism and business, and John Englander was among those presenting and commenting on sea level rise and global warming.

The discussion centered on how to balance environmental concerns like sea turtles with a permanent plan to pay for beach and dune re-nourishment and simplify the permitting process. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center's turtle maven, marine conservationist Kirt Rusenko was introduced, but didn't speak.

Three members of Boca Raton City Council, State Rep. Bill Hager, Highland Beach Mayor Bernard Featherman and Palm Beach Commission Mayor Steven Abrams sat through the program. "I'm pleased the group is expanding, but we have to go beyond north and south to east and west," Abrams said afterward. "Property values on the coast help fund services for all residents."

He's working with the Department of Environmental Protection on inlets, he added.

Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie said afterward she's a member of a four-county coastal commission that meets regularly and is focusing on the Army Corps of Engineers and a cumbersome permitting process.

"This is not something in the future that one community can tackle on its own," Boca Councilman Anthony Majhess, who is on their advisory board, said afterward.

Lobbyist Tom DeRita said the goal is coming up with a marketing plan and legislative initiative. "If you woke up one day and saw the beaches had disappeared, how would you feel?" he said.

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Coalition: Let's get real about the beaches

Five state park beaches temporarily closed for water quality issues

The state has temporarily closed five state park swimming beaches due to poor water quality, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has announced.

The beaches are at: Harry S Truman State Park at Warsaw; Lake of the Ozarks State Park's Grand Glaize beach at Osage Beach; Pomme de Terre State Park's Pittsburg beach at Pittsburg; St. Joe State Park's Monsanto Lake beach at Park Hills; and Wakonda State Park in La Grange.

The beaches were closed following results of water samples taken Monday that indicated bacteria levels higher than those recommended for waters used for swimming. Once tests from the public beaches indicate the bacteria levels are within the standard suitable for swimming, the beaches will reopen. The swimming beach at Mark Twain State Park remains closed due to flooding conditions.

Harry S. Truman, Lake of the Ozarks, Pomme de Terre and St. Joe state parks each has a second designated swimming beach that remains open to the public. Visitors to Harry S. Truman state park may stop by the office or fee booth to obtain a pass free of charge to swim at the campground beach. Visitors may also enjoy the beaches at Lake of the Ozarks Public Beach #1, Pomme de Terres Hermitage Beach, and St. Joes Pim Lake beach.

The department collects water samples from all designated beaches in the state park system weekly during the recreational season to determine suitability for swimming. For more information on beach status, see the website at dnr.mo.gov or mostateparks.com.

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State temporarily closes five Missouri state park beaches for water quality issues