Category Archives: Beach Conditions
Stalworth to Sandestin is Clear!
I had my breakfast at the beach and took a walk this morning. It’s absolutely gorgeous! The water is a clear glass-green with a bit of chop. There is a fair amount of sargassum on the beach but only a few balls of it in the water, which is warmer than it has been recently but not as hot as it usually is by August. There is 0 June grass!
Keep an eye on the thunderheads. I could see some rain to the east and when I started hearing thunder regularly I got off the beach. I counted 17 medium-large stingrays along less than half a mile of beach so caution and shuffling feet are a must today. There are a lot of other fish in the water today too: baby pompano, redfish, small kingfish, half beaks, and a few schools of what I think were hardhead catfish. The gulls and terns are having a field day, so it may be a good fishing day. Enjoy!
Destin Jetties Look Good at High Tide
Mark sent in this report and fantastic pics:
” Taken on 8/7 high tide at East Jetties Destin Florida! Around 9:30 AM ”
“No Grass ! Taken 8/6 around 10 am”
Dune Allen, Stalworth & East THPSP
June grass is 0 with a very few concentrated areas where it might be a 5. These areas are pushed against sandbars, are only about 10’×3′, and very easy to avoid. The beach looks awesome right now! The water is substantially cooler than it usually is at this time of year but it feels nice.
Beasley Park Looks Great!
This just in from Josh:
Beasley Park is pretty much in the middle of Okaloosa Island.
Okaloosa Island Looks Good
Report & pics thanks to Becca:
“The water today at Okaloosa island near Pelican Isle is gorgeous. Light green semi-clear with just a few small bits of June grass. Big waves lots of fun for boogey boarding!”
Heat and Rip Current Advisory in Effect
Rip Current Statement for South Walton, FL
Issued by The National Weather Service
Tallahassee, FL
… HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK… WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.
* LOCATION… THE BEACHES OF WALTON… BAY… AND GULF COUNTIES.
* TIMING… TODAY AND TONIGHT.
* IMPACTS… THE COMBINATION OF WESTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH AND SURF HEIGHTS OF 2 TO 3 FEET IS EXPECTED TO CREATE A HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY FROM SHORE… WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS… JETTIES AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS. IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT… DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT… BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.
&&
Heat Advisory for South Walton, FL
Issued by The National Weather Service
Tallahassee, FL
… HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM EDT /5 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM EDT /5 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING.
* HEAT INDEX… NEAR 108 DEGREES
* IMPACTS… THESE CONDITIONS WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES… SUCH AS HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT STROKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HEAT INDICES BETWEEN 108 AND 112 DEGREES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS… STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM… STAY OUT OF THE SUN… AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.
Topsail Hill State Park 7/26/14
Here’s the main beach at the state park late this afternoon. The June grass was about a 3. It seems to be decaying so keep your fingers crossed that it will continue to thin out. The southwest wind was kicking up some waves and ruining the visibility a bit but it wasn’t as slimy as it has been. There is quite a bit of sargassum in the water and on the beach but it doesn’t bug me as much as June grass.
Santa Rosa Beach is Yucky!
Alan submitted this great panorama and report:
“Water is green with June Grass here at Santa Rosa beach with lots of sargasso mixing in. Some areas of slight clearing but to few and far between”
There was a sign up at the ranger station at THPSP that the fishing program was canceled due to the water conditions.
One last note: if you see clouds like the ones pictured GET OUT of the water and OFF the beach! Preferably indoors NOT under a tree. Your chances of being struck by lightening are high.
Okaloosa Island Near 0 on the Grossness Index!
This just in from Jeff:
Get out there & enjoy the water before it changes!
The June Grass Report 