Category: Beach

2/1/2014

BEACH GRASS PLANTING SIGN-UPS

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP REPLENISH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SAND DUNES WITH BEACH GRASSES

NEW BEACH GRASS FOR ATLANTIC OCEAN SAND DUNES

Have you ever volunteered to replenish the beach grasses along the Atlanctic Ocean coastline in Delaware? It is one of the most fun-filled days of activity that I have at the beach. The young grasses are provided to the volunteers, a brief planting lesson is given, and small groups of volunteers are assigned to different areas of the sand dunes to begin planting the new beach grasses. What a great way to help the environment, soak in some early spring sun, and make new friends, too!

Here is a letter from Jennifer Luoma, from DNREC, explaining the volunteer program. I hope you can all join in this year!

An Open Letter from Jennifer Luoma (DNREC)
Jennifer.Luoma@state.de.us:

"Hello! Even though it is only January, we are planning the 25th Annual Beach Grass Planting. Our efforts this year will be focused on the newly reconstructed dunes north of the Indian River Inlet in Delaware Seashore State Park.

"Each March since 1990, many dedicated volunteers have helped to build and protect Delaware’s sand dunes by planting Cape American beach grass on Delaware’s ocean and Delaware Bay beaches. Their efforts have been very successful in helping to re-establish the vegetation along our coastline. Beach nourishment that took place as a result of Hurricane Sandy has rebuilt the dunes north of the Indian River Inlet to protect Route 1. Our plan is to plant beach grass in that area, so the dunes may start to stabilize and build again.

"The 2014 Beach Grass Planting will be from 9 AM to 12 noon on Saturday, March 22, 2014. If you and your family and friends are able to volunteer, please register online at:

http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/swc/Shoreline/Pages/BeachGrassPlanting.aspx

"Please note, that we are focusing all efforts on the area north of Indian River Inlet. In years past we have been able to give volunteers choices as to what areas to plant, but this year we do not have that to offer. If you register, you will be assigned to the north side of the Indian River Inlet in Delaware Seashore State Park.

"If you do not wish to register on-line or have any questions about the planting, please give me a call at (302) 739-9921 or send me e-mail at Jennifer.Luoma@state.de.us.

"Thank you for volunteering!"

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7/3/2013

Prime Hook Beach

Get Ready For Great Photographs of Prime Hook Beach & Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

This Sunday, Delaware's The News Journal will feature beautiful photographs of a hidden wonder along the Delaware Bay--Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and Prime Hook Beach. Breathtaking photos of wildlife and the open access areas for public enjoyment will be featured. The article is entitled, "Prime Hook: Photographs of the Off-the-Beaten Path Beach."

A few miles east of Milton, Delaware, and 22 miles southeast of Dover, the quiet shores of Prime Hook Beach can be reached via Prime Hook Road, a left turn off of Delaware Route 1 South.

Directly behind the community of homes lining the beach is the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was created in 1963 by the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act as a sanctuary expressly for migrating birds. It encompasses nearly 10,000 diverse acres of freshwater and saltwater marshes, woodlands, grasslands, bottomland forested habitats, scrub brush zones, farming lands, ponds, and a seven mile long creek. Naturally occurring tidal salt marshes make up 2300 acres of the refuge, and man-made freshwater ponds cover 4000 acres. Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the freshwater impoundment systems were built in the 1980's to provide refuge officials the means to raise and lower water levels in the ponds to accommodate the needs of migratory birds during different seasons of the year. The ponds provided habitat for wintering waterfowl, places to feed for spring and fall migratory shorebirds, and nesting areas for wading birds in the summer.

And therein lies the rub. Having provided beautiful habitat for bird watching and wildlife viewing, the refuge created the perfect conditions for housing development along the bay coast: water views both east and west of established residences and newly built homes. But since 2006, multiple hurricanes have caused sea water to breach the dunes, causing an influx of sediment and saltwater into the freshwater ponds, killing most of the vegetation and limiting the use of the ponds by migrating and local birds, as well as by local wildlife populations.

The beauty of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge will be preserved in the beautiful photo layout in The News Journal on Sunday, but all of Delaware and the nation needs to rally behind permanently preserving our national wildlife refuges.

Egrets Resting in Trees at the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

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3/19/2013

Surfrider Foundation, Delaware Chapter, Requests Volunteers for Dune Grass Planting on Saturday, March 23, 2013

Volunteers are needed! 3/23/2013 9 AM Dune Grass Planting

The Delaware Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has sent out the following letter requesting assistance in replenishing our beach dunes with sea grass. Join in with this valuable effort to save our Delaware seacoast:

"DNREC is sponsoring a dune grass planting to assist our battered beaches throughout the state. The Delaware Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation wants volunteers to help at the Indian River Inlet, North Side. Specifically, we will be planting in Savages Ditch, about 1/2 mile north of Indian River Inlet. Park at the Savages Ditch Bayside Parking area, and plant on the dunes on the oceanfront. FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH KIDS – THIS WILL REQUIRE WALKING ACROSS ROUTE ONE. This time of year that’s probably not a big deal.

Register with DNREC here but choose Delaware Seashore State Park as your desired planting location
http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/swc/Shoreline/Pages/
BeachGrassPlanting.aspx

Check the Chapter’s Facebook Page for event info and to connect with us.

If anyone has a surf tag, you can drive on the beach right there at Savages Ditch.

Here is a primer on the plant we will be planting. Instructions included http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_ambr.pdf

Thanks! We hope to see you there.

Help protect our oceans, waves and beaches. Make a difference and join the
Surfrider Foundation today! Click the link to join:
http://www.surfrider.org/membership?source=CH17 ."

Surfrider Foundation Delaware Chapter
P.O. Box 1114
Millsboro, DE 19966
Email: chair@delaware.surfrider.org
vice-chair@delaware.surfrider.org
Website: www.surfrider.org/delaware

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8/4/2012

Big Stone Beach on the Delaware Bay

The Mysterious Big Stone Beach, Delaware, Located on the Delaware Bay

Delaware Bay Beach

Photographing the lovely beaches lining the western shore of the Delaware Bay would take you to unique locations: Woodland Beach, Port Mahon Beach, Pickering Beach, Bombay Hook Beach, Prime Hook Beach, Kitts Hummock Beach, North and South Bowers Beaches, Slaughter Beach, Roosevelt Beach, and Lewes Beach, to name a few sites. Another beach bears a descriptive name and a mystery about how it received its name--Big Stone Beach.

Big Stone Beach's name would lead us to believe there must be large rock formations on the beach like on the West Coast of the United States. The coastal zone along the Delaware Bay, however, does not have any steep rock formations. Rather, it is made up of low lying marshes that often lead to sandy beaches. My curiosity piqued, I set out to take photos of this beach and its unique rock structures.

As I drove along Big Stone Beach Road, I passed through two and a half miles of beautiful forests and low marshlands inhabited by a variety of songbirds and shorebirds. A half mile from the beach, the freshwater marshes lapped lazily at the grassy edges of the road, and in the distance, I could see a tall black structure that reminded me of a fire watch tower. A few cottages lined the bay, but I didn't see any inhabitants or people on the beach.

Big Stone Beach is a very quiet beach, and in the vicinity of its entrance road, there are no large natural rock formations or manmade structures composed of stone. Could the name have originated from a local Native American word describing the sizes of stones on the beach or the size of the beach itself?

The military history of the beach and the black tower dates back to the end of WWI when a commissioned fort, Fort Saulsbury, was built to protect the eastern shore. During WWII, the United States used the fort to house prisoners of war and the staff who guarded them. Was the name of the beach related to a military maneuver?

Entrance Road to Big Stone Beach

Marshes on the North Side of the Entrance Road

Marshes on the South Side of the Entrance Road

Close-up View of the Tower at Big Stone Beach

From a Distance, What Appears to Be Tree Stumps on the Beach

Close-up View of the Stumps Lining the Beach

Roiling Charcoal Sea Foam on the Beach

The tower in the photos was part of the Fort Saulsbury defenses that were used in WWII as observation towers and as a gun battery. In May 1941, the 261st Coast Artillery Battery B was assigned to Fort Saulsbury for the purposes of coastal defense. They watched the coast line from three steel fire control observation towers that were built at Stone Beach, Mispillion Lighthouse and Fowler's Beach. Only the Big Stone Beach tower remains, along with the mystery of how this unique location received its name. If you know the answer to this question, please add your information to the Comments section below.

The Big Stone Beach area is environmentally protected because of Ted Harvey's foresight. Ted Harvey acquired 2700 acres along Big Stone Beach as part of the Ted Harvey Wildlife Area, giving the organization control over land that had been planned to be appropriated by oil companies for major building projects. Today, the conservation district is one of the premier East Coast wildlife refuges.

Directions to Big Stone Beach: North of Milford, Delaware, on Route 1, turn right (NE) at Thompsonville Road and go 3.5 miles. Turn right (E) onto Scotts Corner Road, arriving at Scott's Corners in 1.1 miles. Take a left (NE) onto Big Stone Beach Road. The road reaches the bayshore in another 2.6 miles after traveling through forests and marshes inhabited by songbirds and shorebirds.

Map of Delaware Bay Beaches by the US Fish & Wildlife Service

44 Comments

7/21/2012

DNREC Tests the Water at the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean Beaches

Making the Delaware Beaches Safer Through Quality Beach Water Testing by DNREC

Why does Dr. Kate Connors worry about beach water quality in Nocturne, Opus 1: Sea Foam? First of all, she is the mother of a precocious three-year-old daughter and she loves her dearly. Which parent among us wouldn't pay attention to our child's surroundings, especially in new places like on vacation at the beach? Our first concern would be strangers, followed by activity safety, which includes monitoring how close our child gets to the water, or how far into the water our child goes, or how deep of water our child swims in. Then we think of sharks! (Sorry. But that topic does lurk in the back of most parents' minds, whether they care to admit it or not.) More realistically, in terms of probability of contact, we scan the water's surface for the bobbling, rounded shape of jellyfish. But how many of us also see this standard beach scene through the microscopic and macroscopic eyes of a scientist?

Kate Connors is a scientist, a medical researcher studying the effects of bacteria on the human body. Specifically, she studies Bacillus nocturne, a normally passive, estuary bacteria that floats harmlessly in rivers, bays and oceans. Why does she study this bacteria? Because the organization that hired her, the Institute for Public Policy and Safety, knows that someone has genetically altered Bacillus nocturne. Kate sees danger where we see children laughing and tumbling in the surf.

Is there a problem with our beach water quality in the United States? Yes, in some places. A few years ago, I found a sign posted by DNREC, Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, at an entrance to an inland bay beach. It read:

“The waters of the Inland Bays may contain organisms that could be harmful to your health. Swimming could result in an increased risk of rashes, infections or gastrointestinal distress, especially during and after rainfall. For your health and safety, please swim at beaches with lifeguards where the water quality is tested weekly. For information on beach water quality or to report illnesses resulting from contact with these waters, please call 1-800-922-WAVE or visit www.dnrec.state.de.us.”

Have you seen water quality warning signs near any of the beaches you've visited? What did they say?

2 Comments

6/2/2012

Prime Hook Beach and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Prime Hook Beach, A Delaware Bay Beach Near Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, Is Now Threatened by Rising Water Levels, Salt Water Intrusion & Inaction

Entrance to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

A few miles east of Milton, Delaware, and 22 miles southeast of Dover, the quiet shores of Prime Hook Beach can be reached via Prime Hook Road, a left turn off of Delaware Route 1 South. The beach area is not easily accessible to the public, but there are a few unmarked entrances over dunes that can be traversed. Parking is a problem because of the frequent posting of No Parking signs, and there is no parking lot available for visitors.

Directly behind the community of homes lining the beach is the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was created in 1963 by the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act as a sanctuary expressly for migrating birds. It encompasses nearly 10,000 diverse acres of freshwater and saltwater marshes, woodlands, grasslands, bottomland forested habitats, scrub brush zones, farming lands, ponds, and a seven mile long creek. Naturally occurring tidal salt marshes make up 2300 acres of the refuge, and man-made freshwater ponds cover 4000 acres. Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the freshwater impoundment systems were built in the 1980's to provide refuge officials the means to raise and lower water levels in the ponds to accommodate the needs of migratory birds during different seasons of the year. The ponds provided habitat for wintering waterfowl, places to feed for spring and fall migratory shorebirds, and nesting areas for wading birds in the summer.

And therein lies the rub. Having provided beautiful habitat for bird watching and wildlife viewing, the refuge created the perfect conditions for housing development along the bay coast: water views both east and west of established residences and newly built homes. But in 2006, Hurricane Ernesto breached the dunes and caused an influx of sediment and saltwater behind some homes. Viewed as a natural process, the breach was not repaired. In 2009 and 2010 the dune line was again overwashed, pouring more saltwater into the freshwater ponds, killing most of the vegetation, and again flooding the area. In 2011 the dunes were rebuilt, but destroyed within a week by another storm. Valuable time for action has been delayed by lawsuits and agencies debating how to resolve the issues, one of which is how to protect the homes already in the community.

Prime Hook Road entrance to Prime Hook Beach

Prime Hook Road Surrounded By Saltwater Infused Ponds

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed three proposals to resolve this problem, but homeowners are concerned about the outcomes:

1. Option 1: Take no action.
2. Option 2: Actively manage the refuge to mimic natural processes (FWS' preference).
3. Option 3: Reinstate cooperative farming in the refuge, manage both saltwater and freshwater habitats, and rebuild infrastructure and the dunes along the Delaware Bayshore.

For more information about Prime Hook Beach and the Prime Hook National Wildlife Preserve, go to www.fws.gov/northeast/primehook

Wading Shorebirds' Habitat at the Refuge

Two Wading Shorebirds Perched on Tree Branches

Prime Hook Beach

3 Comments

5/26/2012

On Memorial Day

A Salute from the Shore to All Veterans and Present Armed Forces Personnel:

You Have Made All of Our Beaches and Our Entire Homeland Safe Because of Your Bravery, Good Will, and Heroic Patriotism. Thank You Forever!

From the West Coast to the East Coast, we enjoy the beauty of our beaches thanks to the national safety provided by our Armed Forces.

In the middle of all the excitement of a Memorial Day Parade, or on the outer edges of a beach full of multi-colored beach umbrellas, or sitting in front row seats watching bright fireworks fragment in the night air, we sometimes forget what Memorial Day is all about.

Memorial Day is a time of remembering, a time of thankful praise for a courageous job well done, and a time to offer prayers for the well-being of all military families.

We truly live in the home of the brave, and America's service personnel and their families deserve the best of everything. On this Memorial Day and every day, remember to say, "Thank you for your service" or "Thank you for protecting my family and me" whenever you meet someone in uniform. Just as important are the kind words, smiles, and help that you offer to all the military families that you meet as you thank them for their sacrifice for us.

6 Comments

5/19/2012

Migratory Birds Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs

Every Spring . . .
Migratory Shore Birds Stop to Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs Along the Delaware Bay Beaches Before Continuing Their Arduous Flight North

Red Knots As Seen in Wikipedia May, 2012.

Throughout the year Delaware's ocean and bay beaches provide some of the best birdwatching experiences on the Mid-Atlantic Coast, but spring and fall migratory seasons attract thousands of bird enthusiasts hoping to see birds on the endangered species list. One of the most remarkable of those birds is the Calidris canutus rufa, commonly called the red knot shorebird.

About the size of a robin, red knot shorebirds travel more than 9300 miles from South America to North America, stopping over for two weeks along the Delaware Bay beaches to feed on the translucent green eggs being laid by the horseshoe crabs (see last week's post below). Then the red knots continue migrating north to the Canadian Arctic to breed.

Little is known about the juvenile red knots after they leave the Arctic until they return to the Delaware Bay two years later. In 2006, because of declining red knot populations, the species was named a candidate for the endangered species list. A decision should be announced later this year. Scientists believe the health and vitality of the birds is directly related to their refueling stopover on the Delaware Bay. The eggs of the horseshoe crabs provide valuable fat reserves for the birds' long flight north and contributes to the health of the new Arctic hatchlings. One reason their numbers may have dropped before 2006 may have been because of overfishing of the crabs, reducing the numbers of eggs for the shore birds to eat. New regulations now limit the number of crabs permitted to be taken and the time period in which they may be trapped.

Adult shorebirds have begun arriving at the Delaware Beaches and the next two weeks will provide great birdwatching, especially at these bay beaches and wildlife reserves: Bombay Hook, Port Mahon Beach, Kitts Hummock, Ted Harvey Wildlife Area, Bowers Beach, South Bowers Beach, Slaughter Beach, Fowlers Beach, and Broadkill Beach.

2 Comments

1/27/2012

Honey Has Antibiotic Properties that Kill Bacteria

Bacillus nocturne, a normally passive estuarine bacteria, is genetically modified and released into the water at beach resorts by a rogue scientist in Nocturne, Opus 1: Sea Foam. What did the scientist design it to do, and how fast will it spread through the world's waterways? These are the questions that our heroine Dr. Kate Connors must answer as she and her husband Dr. Jake Connors track down the killer.

Medical personnel have an arsenal of antibiotics to use against bacterial infections, but some of those bacteria have become resistant to the well known antibiotics in use today. Research to discover new antibiotics is an ongoing process, and some say it is a race against time.

Are there other ways to stop a bacterial infection if all the antibiotics fail? Would it be a good idea to know about these methods and tuck them in the back of our minds, just in case some day an antibiotic is needed and none are available? The characters in Nocturne think so.

Through the use of fact-based fiction, the characters in Nocturne re-examine the techniques used by physicians and native healers that can slow down the replication rate of bacteria and boost the body's immune system to fight against an infection.

When I saw the headline "Honey Helps Heal Wounds," I wanted to share this timely article with you. Katherine Harmon transcribed a podcast about the antibacterial effects of honey on wound healing for the 60-Second Health Segment of Scientific American's webpage (www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=honey-helps-heal-wounds-12-01-31). Her article follows:

"Honey soothes a sore throat. Now research suggests that it could also help fight serious skin infections.
People have used honey's antibacterial properties for centuries. Now, scientists are discovering just how it works—and that it might be even better than antibiotics.

After surgery or a skin injury, many otherwise harmless bacteria that live on the skin can infect the wound site. One type of strep is particularly common and can lead to stubborn wounds that refuse to heal. But researchers found that honey—in particular that made from bees foraging on manuka flowers—stopped this strep in its tracks. The study is in the journal Microbiology [Sarah Maddocks et al, Manuka Honey Inhibits the Development of Streptococcus pyogenesBiofilms and Causes Reduced Expression of Two Fibronectin Binding Proteins].

In lab tests, just a bit of the honey killed off the majority of bacterial cells—and cut down dramatically on the stubborn biofilms they formed.

It could also be used to prevent wounds from becoming infected in the first place. Hospital-borne infections are all too common, with more and more strains developing resistance to standard antibiotic treatments. So if the honey works in clinical trials, too, this sweet news will be all the buzz."

1 Comment

BEACH GRASS PLANTING SIGN-UPS

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP REPLENISH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SAND DUNES WITH BEACH GRASSES

Prime Hook Beach

Get Ready For Great Photographs of Prime Hook Beach & Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Surfrider Foundation, Delaware Chapter, Requests Volunteers for Dune Grass Planting on Saturday, March 23, 2013

Volunteers are needed! 3/23/2013 9 AM Dune Grass Planting

Big Stone Beach on the Delaware Bay

The Mysterious Big Stone Beach, Delaware, Located on the Delaware Bay

DNREC Tests the Water at the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean Beaches

Making the Delaware Beaches Safer Through Quality Beach Water Testing by DNREC

Prime Hook Beach and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Prime Hook Beach, A Delaware Bay Beach Near Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, Is Now Threatened by Rising Water Levels, Salt Water Intrusion & Inaction

On Memorial Day

A Salute from the Shore to All Veterans and Present Armed Forces Personnel:

You Have Made All of Our Beaches and Our Entire Homeland Safe Because of Your Bravery, Good Will, and Heroic Patriotism. Thank You Forever!

Migratory Birds Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs

Every Spring . . .
Migratory Shore Birds Stop to Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs Along the Delaware Bay Beaches Before Continuing Their Arduous Flight North

Honey Has Antibiotic Properties that Kill Bacteria

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VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP REPLENISH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SAND DUNES WITH BEACH GRASSES

Get Ready For Great Photographs of Prime Hook Beach & Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Volunteers are needed! 3/23/2013 9 AM Dune Grass Planting

The Mysterious Big Stone Beach, Delaware, Located on the Delaware Bay

Making the Delaware Beaches Safer Through Quality Beach Water Testing by DNREC

Prime Hook Beach, A Delaware Bay Beach Near Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, Is Now Threatened by Rising Water Levels, Salt Water Intrusion & Inaction

A Salute from the Shore to All Veterans and Present Armed Forces Personnel:You Have Made All of Our Beaches and Our Entire Homeland Safe Because of Your Bravery, Good Will, and Heroic Patriotism. Thank You Forever!

Every Spring . . .Migratory Shore Birds Stop to Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs Along the Delaware Bay Beaches Before Continuing Their Arduous Flight North

Author

Archives

Categories

A Salute from the Shore to All Veterans and Present Armed Forces Personnel:

You Have Made All of Our Beaches and Our Entire Homeland Safe Because of Your Bravery, Good Will, and Heroic Patriotism. Thank You Forever!

Every Spring . . .
Migratory Shore Birds Stop to Feast on Horseshoe Crab Eggs Along the Delaware Bay Beaches Before Continuing Their Arduous Flight North