Beach News

March 19th was a busy day for beach cleanup with the America’s Boating Club as sponsors.

Members gathered at South Beach for a two-hour cleanup, picking up everything that is plastic and man-made. Big thanks to the America’s Boating Club for sponsoring a beach cleanup for the past six years. After two hours volunteers picked up 80 pounds of trash.

According to their website, America's Boating Club®- Marco Island (also known as Marco Island Sail and Power Squadron) is an educational and social organization promoting boating and watercraft skills, safety and fun. Nationally recognized boating courses are taught; free vessel safety checks; public service surveys of Marco’s waterway navigation aids; group boating trips and raft ups; monthly dinner meetings with guest speakers and other regular social events.

Winter shorebird update: This is the last month for Winter Shorebird Stewardship according to Lin Taylor of Audubon of the Western Everglades Winter Shorebird Steward program. “We are in our last month of Winter Shorebird Stewardship. We are still seeing large flocks of Black Skimmers and Royal Terns. The Royals are starting to look even more regal with their black head tuff plumage and bright orange bill.”

For the stewards this has always been about “educating the public as a main focus during their presence on the beach.” Taylor added, “with our great team of stewards, we have been able to educate hundreds of people. Locals and tourists, young and old, have learned about our migrating shorebirds.”

Marco Island Police Department Beach Report: The March 7th City Council Meeting featured the January Beach Report.

Community Service Officers (CSO) logged slightly less beach patrol hours and events this year versus last January. The decreased activity is due to managing traffic flow and parking at the Farmer’s Market. In preparation for Spring Break visitors, Community Service Officers prioritized beach sign inspections. These signs inform both residents and guests about our City’s beach codes and are an integral tool for educating beach visitors about code compliance. Community Service Officers (CSO’s) also played an active role for keeping our beaches safe by picking up debris that washed ashore from the severe weather system that impacted our area.

Tigertail Lagoon update –Jean Hall, a shorebird volunteer, visited Sand Dollar Island on March 16th during negative tide and shared the following: “Even though it was a negative tide, there were only a handful of wading birds and almost no shorebirds. The main reason I am documenting this is for evidence of the dynamics of Sand Dollar in general. I had not been out there since the storm in mid-January, which caused a significant breach. That breach still has not filled in.”

I also visited those same locations on Thursday, March 17th and at 8:00 AM there was already a steady flow of beachgoers going north and wading through the breach. I crossed the breach, which had a strong current, and proceeded North taking photos of crab traps brought in by the high tide during the mid-January storm. One beachgoer asked me if the crab traps are going to be picked up. At a distance, they looked like metal artworks – waiting for a high tide to carry them back offshore.

Please save the date: April 9, 2022 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM – Beach Cleanup sponsored by Marco’s Chamber of Commerce. Marco’s beach cleanup is a community event for the entire family. 

See you in April!