Takin’ Care of Beach Business
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | FEB 2020 37
By Robyn Rosner, Facilities/Special Events Coordinator
The majority of the year Tybee has quite a bit to keep up with regarding our
beaches, from preparing for hurricanes to saving sea turtles, all in addition to
accommodating the 30,000 non-resident visitors that come to sink their toes in
the sand while soaking up some sun. Not just the summer sun for that matter,
over the years the visiting crowds have started arriving earlier each spring
and keep on coming later into the fall. This leaves a smaller and smaller “off
season,” and even over this few month time frame during the winter, the City
doesn’t take a break from tending to the busy-ness of the beach.
For those of you who have noticed some loud beeping noises, bright lights,
massive machinery, and an overall large amount of activity happening along
south beach compared to the usual calmness one would expect at a beach in
the middle of winter, I am here to share the beach’s latest business.
First let me clear up any confusion by addressing what is NOT happening.
I’m sure these are only a few of the ideas our vivid little Tybee imaginations
have thought about…
- For those that reside on the south end (especially in my case, as we just
moved from the oh-so quiet north end), as I laid in my bed awakened by
beeping and dumping noises at 4am, I thought maybe Atlantic Waste may have
looked at the number of complaints from 2019 and in response started a new
24 hour non-stop pick-up service.
- For those easily star struck looking at the Breakfast Club for Adam Sandler,
along the Back River for Miley Cyrus, down front for Will Smith, or in the Sheriff’s
Office Bookings for Shia LaBeouf… you won’t be finding any Hollywood movie
stars under those bright lights shining on the beach at night this time.
- For those that see beyond the beach and notice an influx of interesting ships
sailing closer to shore than usual, do not let the fear of Deja vu consume you,
that is not a casino boat! Nor cruise ships looking to cram a mass load of
tourists on our little island.
So, now that we have confirmed that Tybee is not becoming a cruise ship
port, there isn’t another film set on the beach, and Atlantic Waste has not
started a 24 hour pick-up service, I can provide some details about all of the
hustle and bustle behind the business that is currently happening on the beach.
Though it may seem a disruption to the small season where we finally acquire
some peace and quiet, what may seem a noise nuisance is actually helping our
beloved beaches. Those passengers on what seem strange ships are actually
quite the opposite of cruise ship tourists and working hard to help our beach.
All of these out-of-place factors are contributing to our beach nourishment,
which by the time you are reading this is anticipated to have completed the
dredging phase.
As I mentioned in a past article, the preparations that were made for the threat
of Dorian remained in place throughout the remainder of hurricane season.
Any of these preparations made to the beach accesses continued to remain
that way, as the beach nourishment work was set to begin in such a close
proximity, it only made sense to address these areas after, as crossover work
was already scheduled to begin once dredging was completed. What does this
mean to us? The Tybrisa beach access will soon be accessible again! As well
as other crossovers being re-built and/or enhanced. The crossover work plans
are being finalized and work will begin this month (as long as the dredging was
completed as anticipated by the end of January).
In addition to the crossovers, other beach nourishment work that will begin
after completion of the dredging phase includes constructing and building to
restore dunes and planting of the dune vegetation. While the dune work has
anticipated completion before Sea Turtle Season begins May 1st, not all the
beach crossovers the City intends to improve will be accomplished. Those
that are not completed will still have accessibility to the beach until the work
recommences once the “seasons” fade towards the end of fall.
Whether hurricane season, sea turtle season, tourist season, or even the “off
season,” all seasons bring business as usual at the beach, and the City is takin’
care of the beach business… every season!