Just announced by the FL governor Rick Scott is a list of projects that will be funded in Phase 3 of the NRDA Early Restoration. Florida’s Proposed NRDA Phase III Projects total approximately $58 million. Projects SR 26 and SR 27 are within this set of projects

Nearshore fishing/diving reef
plan view

Gulf snorkeling reef expansion

Details from which the press release was gathered are in a Federal Register publication released May 6.

You can now find dive signage at the entrance to the park and at each Gulf and Sound Side Pavilions that are closest to the three beach accessible snorkeling and diving reefs.

The next Marine Sanctuary Committee meeting will be Monday, February 25 at 6 pm in the Visitor Information Center/Chamber Conference Room.

Below is a list of some of the items we will be discussing:

Marine Sanctuary Committee leadership for 2013
Reef Sponsorship update
Run for the Reef update
Volunteers needed for Fun Fest booth April 26 and 27
Promoting and marketing reefs
Grant opportunities

Tune into the Weather Channel to see footage of the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary  reef system being installed among other reefing tales.

The reefs are indeed installed and fully visible from the surface. Several Marine Sanctuary Committee members took to the water to check out the reefs up close by diving and snorkeling them. They do look impressive and the fish seemed to be enjoying the new structures already.

Here are some shots taken by Mike Sandler  on one of the first dives of the Gulf Side reefs

One of the reef trees from below
 

Nancy Sandler inspecting a reef
 

Ray hiding in the sand

After many weeks of waiting and watching for a good window of weather and sea state, the Reef Maker of Orange Beach installed the last of the Marine Sanctuary Eco System Reefs in the Gulf off of Navarre Beach County Park.   This deployment of reefs completes the set of three reef sites that make up the Marine Sanctuary at Navarre Beach County Park.  Two additional sites  are in Santa Rosa Sound just off the north shore of the park.

The newest reef addition  provide a great snorkel opportunity…and a fun way to cool off  after the October 13th Run for the Reef 5K

All three pavilions on the sound at  Navarre Beach County Park have new walkway improvements and showers thanks to  Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation  funding and a solid partnership with Santa Rosa County.   The Foundation provided the funds from monies raised by their Marine Sanctuary Committee and reserved for Marine Sanctuary and related program use.   The monies were used to purchase material and the county provided the sweat and muscles to get it done.     Sand fences  will also be installed  near two of the pavilions to mark a clear path through the sand from the pavilions to the shore near the reef areas, which will help direct foot traffic and  minimize damage to the natural vegetation.

Signs identifying the sound side reef areas as snorkel reefs where no motorized vessels are allowed have also been deployed on all  the sound side reef marker pilings

A crowd was on hand for today’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary.  Commissioners Jim Melvin, Don Salter, and Lane Lynchard and Roger Blaylock (county engineer),  along with Representatives of the Navarre Chamber of Commerce, the Navarre Chamber Foundation, the TDC,   the Marine Sanctuary Committee and David Walter  of Walter Marine  (the reefing contractor) were present as snorkelers immediately took to the water.

Here’s a Channel 3 News Item on the ribbon cutting.  

The barge you see doing work in Santa Rosa Sound just north of Navarre Beach County Park is the county’s contractor installing the sound side reefs.

The public is invited to attend a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of two of three Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary snorkeling reef projects on Tuesday, May 22 at 11:30 a.m. at the Sandpiper Pavilion located sound side in Navarre Beach Park. The installation of the two Navarre Beach Park sound side tiered reef modules, also known as Walter Eco-System Reef Modules, began May 15 and is expected to take four days to complete.

For more pictures and the full press release check out the Santa Rosa County Website

The Navarre Press is the prime media sponsor for the 4th Annual Run for the Reef 5K and Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run.    In addition to helping promote the race through various communications channels, the Navarre Press will be on hand the day of the race to provide full event coverage and finish line photo services to record your moments of glory as you cross the finish line.

The Run for the Reef is the main fundraiser for the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary.   A great way to support the diving and snorkeling reefs and Make Navarre Snorkelicious is through tax deductible donations to sponsor the run through one of the event’s many sponsorship opportunities.  Registration for the race is open online via  Active.com and  by downloading and completing the registration form on our website.