Sunday, July 10, 2005
We may have more of a problem than it looked like last night. On top of Dennis strengthening to a Cat 4, the local news (WEAR TV, the ABC affiliate on channel 3) and at least one of their radio network reporters are thinking they've picked up a northerly wobble or jog in the storm's track. The National Hurricane Center isn't saying so, but we'll see what comes up on the next report. Due north of this hurricane's present position is pretty much smack-dab into Okaloosa County. Not that the exact landfall location really matters that much with something carrying this much energy, of course.
One of the hot topics in this area, especially since Ivan, is beach renourishment. Renourishment, or rebuilding, projects have been proposed for the beaches around Destin, among other areas. These projects have so far been proposed as public-works efforts, paid for with public funds. A snag they've run into is that in exchange for the public paying for the work, the public gets access to the beach that's (re)constructed as a result. The problem is that this now-public land was, before it washed away and was rebuilt, private beach property. Some of the property owners have balked at this and have so far held up the work. After today, it may not matter much - especially if Dennis heads this way directly. With the erosion they've had with Ivan and Arlene, and to a lesser extent Cindy, there's not much left to protect the multi-million dollar homes on the beach.
One of the hot topics in this area, especially since Ivan, is beach renourishment. Renourishment, or rebuilding, projects have been proposed for the beaches around Destin, among other areas. These projects have so far been proposed as public-works efforts, paid for with public funds. A snag they've run into is that in exchange for the public paying for the work, the public gets access to the beach that's (re)constructed as a result. The problem is that this now-public land was, before it washed away and was rebuilt, private beach property. Some of the property owners have balked at this and have so far held up the work. After today, it may not matter much - especially if Dennis heads this way directly. With the erosion they've had with Ivan and Arlene, and to a lesser extent Cindy, there's not much left to protect the multi-million dollar homes on the beach.
