News

PKA Holiday Party on Thursday, December 12

Please join the PKA Board of Directors and other neighbors and friends at this year’s Perdido Key Association Holiday Party! Rather than being scheduled on a Monday as in the past, the festivities will take place on Thursday, December 12 from 6 to 9 PM at the Palacio Resort-Perdido Key (13661 Perdido Key Drive). Food and beverages will be provided – just bring yourselves with family and friends. See you there!!

New Escambia County Commission

Following the 2024 primary and general elections, the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners has some new faces. After installation on November 19, 2024, District 1 will have new Commissioner Steve Strohberger, District 2 remains with Mike Kohler and District 3 with Lumon May, District 4 Commissioner is now Ashlee Hofberger while District 5 remains with Steven Barry following his reelection.

Hurricane Devastation

Florida took a body blow from Hurricane Milton on October 9, 2024 when the storm came ashore at Siesta Key with Category 3 winds, dumping huge amounts of rain crossing the Gulf Coast and Central Florida, spawning multiple tornadoes in Southeast Florida and then exiting Florida with damaging winds and surf on the Atlantic Coast near Dayton Beach. Had the storm come ashore 70 miles further north into Tampa Bay, destruction would likely have been even worse. Two weeks earlier Hurricane Helene severely damaged Florida coastal towns like Cedar Key and Steinhatchee and then brought strong winds and flood producing rains to inland mountain hamlets, towns and metropolitan areas like Valdosta GA, Ashville NC and Greenville SC. At least 250 lives were lost from the two storms. Rebuilding will take years and perhaps not even be pursued in some cases. For a recent assessment of damage from the storms, see the October 21, 2024 Scienceinsider article “’Daunting’. Hurricane-battered researchers assess damage from Helene and Milton” by Christie Wilcox and Phie Jacobs at https://www.science.org/content/article/daunting-hurricane-battered-researchers-assess-damage-helene-and-milton.

20 Years after Ivan

While dodging recent storms, many remember Hurricane Ivan that struck Perdido Key and surrounding areas on September 16, 2004 taking several lives and causing tremendous property damage. Bare concrete slabs are still visible near Perdido Key beaches where businesses and condominiums once stood giving witness to Ivan’s fury. For more on Ivan, see the September 16, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “Hurricane Ivan still haunts  Escambia, Santa Rosa counties after 20 years.” by Troy Moon at Hurricane Ivan devasted Pensacola, surrounding communities 20 years ago. (pnj.com).

SS United States to Okaloosa County via Mobile

The SS United States saga has ended for Escambia County. “Okaloosa’s Board of County Commissioners has approved a contingent contract to acquire the ship and convert it into the worlds’ largest artificial reef, a record that is currently held by the Oriskany off Escambia County.” According to recent news reports, the ship is currently berthed in Philadelphia but will be towed to Mobile, Alabama where it will remain while preparations are made for its transformation into a submerged artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico near Fort Walton Beach and Destin. For more on this issue, see the October 1, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “SS United States to be sunk off Okaloosa County after Escambia came up short for bid” by Mollye Barrows at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2024/10/01/okaloosa-county-wins-bid-for-ss-united-states-and-will-sink-as-reef/75473484007/; October 16, 2024 USNI article “SS United States Getting Towed to Norfolk Ahead of Planned Sinking off Florida Coast” by John Grady at https://news.usni.org/2024/10/16/ss-united-states-getting-towed-to-norfolk-ahead-of-planned-sinking-off-florida-coast; and, October 28, 2024 Fox News video “SS United States to dock in Mobile before becoming artificial reef off Florida coast” at https://www.fox10tv.com/video/2024/10/28/ss-united-states-dock-mobile-before-becoming-artificial-reef-off-florida-coast/.

Controlled Burn Season

With some rain and other favorable conditions, controlled burns are likely in the weeks ahead at Big Lagoon State Park and Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. This can result in some smoke in surrounding areas but the burns remove unwanted underbrush and help preserve forest health for the future.

Big Lagoon Campground to Close for Maintenance

The Big Lagoon Campground will be closing in February 2025 for significant maintenance. The work will take several months with no completion date currently available.

Children’s Opera at Big Lagoon

The Pensacola Opera Company presented the new children’s opera “MATO: The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish” at the Big Lagoon Amphitheater on November 13, 2024. It was enjoyed by the over 75 adults and children attending, with many of the young dancing and sometimes just wandering in the aisles during the performance. 

Good Turnout for Friends “Heron Trot”

The Heron Trot 5K road race at Big Lagoon State Park brought over 70 participants young and old to this Friends of Pensacola State Park event. Before the race, those who ran and attended as spectators or organizers were treated to a star filled sky and then a wonderful sunrise.

Siquenza Cove Resurfacing Project Progress

The Siquenza Cove Resurfacing Project seems near completion after “a partial reconstruction of roadway on areas of Gongora Drive and Don Carlos Drive. The project will also include resurfacing a portion of River Road, Don Carlos Drive, Gongora Drive, and Siquenza Drive.” It is a real pleasant to drive on Don Carlos now without needing to dodge protruding manhole covers and be subject to annoying potholes! For more on this issue, go to https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/escambiacountyfl/projects/93578/document.

SLAM PROJECT CONTINUES…

Local researchers have been collecting dead snakes in sufficiently good condition for analysis to determine if the invasive snake lungworm (pentastome parasite) has reached the Panhandle region of Florida. According to a November 6, 2024 Sea Grant Note from Rick O’Connor, no parasites were found in the 15 samples collected thus far. But the project continues so residents are asked to be on the lookout for dead snakes that are not flattened by traffic. Here is the guidance for collection and delivery:

 

If you find a dead snake in good condition and want to participate, you should…

1. Place the snake in a large ziplock bag, inside another large ziplock bag. 
2. Label the outside of the bag with the following information

• Your name
• The location where the snake was found (GPS is best, but a home address will work – or description – will work)
• What type of snake it is (if you know)
• Date

3. Bring the snake to the Escambia County Extension Office

 

NOTE: DO NOT PICK UP A DEAD VENOMOUS SNAKE WITH YOUR HANDS.  USE A RAKE (ETC.) OR CONTACT Rick O’Connor AT roc1@ufl.edu

Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Flyover Perdido Key

Though blustery weather reduced visibility and may have altered the planned flyover, Perdido Key beach spectators still enjoyed seeing the US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds flying together over the Gulf of Mexico. It was a good beginning to the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola, Friday and Saturday, November 1- 2, 2024!

“Friends” Awarded Impact 100 Grant for Big Lagoon Playground!

The Friends of Pensacola State Parks, one of our area’s active non-profit organizations, was recently awarded a $100,670 Impact 100 grant to develop an “inclusive playground for children of all abilities and disabilities” at Big Lagoon State Park. “The idea behind IMPACT 100 involves recruiting at least 100 women to donate $1,000 each and pooling those resources into one big grant for a qualifying nonprofit. In the 21 years since the Pensacola chapter began, this organization of philanthropic women has donated more than $17 million in 165 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Escambia/Santa Rosa area.” For more on the “Friends,” go to https://friendsofpensacolastateparks.org/; for more on Impact 100, go to https://impact100pensacola.org.

River Road Work

Contractors have been clearing the east siding on a portion of River Road reportedly as part of a survey for future installation of AT&T fiber optic cable.

Amtrak to Mobile

Dignitaries recently broke ground at the future train platform site that will “accommodate Amtrak passenger rail service along the Gulf Coast from Alabama to Louisiana.” According to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg who attended the ceremony, $70 million of federal funds for the “rail opportunity” package was allocated to downtown Mobile for necessary construction and improvement to infrastructure for the Amtrak service. Pensacola has not received any recent grants for rail service but Mayor D.C. Reeves seemed committed to that end. For more on this issue, see the October 24, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “Amtrak is bringing passenger rail to Mobile. Is Pensacola next?” by Tom McLaughlin at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/pensacola/2024/10/23/pete-buttigieg-celebrates-new-orleans-to-mobile-amtrak-service/75789494007/.

Sun Belt Basketball Tournaments to Remain in Pensacola

Following a letter of agreement approved on October 17, 2024, the Sun Belt Conference announced the Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will remain in Pensacola until 2030. Escambia County’s Pensacola Bay Center will host the tournaments. For more on this issue, see the October 24, 2024 Escambia County Newscenter news release “Escambia County Welcomes Sun Belt Basketball Championship Through 2030” at https://myescambia.com/news/news-article/2024/10/24/escambia-county-welcomes-sun-belt-basketball-championships-through-2030.

Sandspurs and Bats

Gardening volunteers at the Perdido Key Visitors Center and most others who explore our Perdido Key coastline will encounter sandspurs, a painful reminder of an unpleasant local plant species. For guidance on their removal if they invade your property, go to the UF/IFAS Blog article “Get Sandspurs BEFORE They Get You!” at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/levyco/2024/01/07/get-sandspur-get /. Bats are enormously beneficial creatures that consume incredibly numbers of mosquitoes and other pests, but if you want to rid them from your home or other structures (a belfry?), according to Rick O’Connor fall is the best time to do so. Bat pups are weaned near the end of summer so bat exclusion devices can be used legally only from August 15 until April 15. For more on Florida’s amazing bats, go to https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bats/?redirect=bats.

Horseshoe Crabs

The annual count of horseshoe crabs is underway with the spring tide from November 02 to November 08, 2024 offering the next best chance to spot them. If you see any, please contact Rick O’Connor at roc1@ufl.edu .

River Road RV Park Proposal

Old River Resort is proposing an RV park to be built on River Road just north of the Florencia condominium. The park may have 26 RV sites, 12 bungalows, various amenities including a pool and restaurant and a parking area on the other side of River Road. The proposal has not yet been reviewed by the Escambia County Development Review Committee. For more on this issue, see the article October 9, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “RV park and restaurant could be coming to Perdido Key” by Edward Bunch III at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/2024/10/09/rv-park-and-restaurant-old-river-resort-coming-to-perdido-key/75457922007/.

Gulf Islands Discovery Trail to be Rebuilt

Gulf Islands National Seashore has announced the “Perdido Key Discovery Trail” near the entrance to the Johnson Beach/Perdido Key Area of the Park will be completely rebuilt. The boardwalk trail was heavily damaged by Hurricane Sally in 2020 and has been partially closed since then. The project will begin in October 2024 and should be completed by April 2025. During reconstruction, the kayak launch parking lot will be closed for staging. Information on the project drawn from October 11, 2024 e-mail from Stephenie Wade, GINS Public Information Officer.

A Fun Red White and Birdies Golf Scramble!

The Red White and Birdies Golf Scramble at NAS Pensacola’s AC Read Golf Course was a whole lot of fun with about 70 participants, many support personnel and terrific weather. Organized by the Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce with PKA fielding a foursome and sponsoring one of the holes, the scramble raised funds for the Chamber’s military programs and initiatives.

Pensacola a Top Ten Small City!

Conde Nast Traveler’s annual Readers Choice Awards has placed Pensacola as #7 on its “best small cities in the United States” list. The Traveler wrote “Florida certainly has no shortage of beautiful beaches, but few places have the blindingly white sand and Caribbean-blue waters you’ll find in and around this town.” For more on this issues see the October 2, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “Pensacola, Key West ranked on Conde Nast Traveler’s Best Small Cities list” by Brandon Girod at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2024/10/02/two-florida-cities-named-best-small-cities-by-conde-nast-traveler/75484582007/.

Lawsuit on 75 ft Public Access Beach Easement

In early 2023 District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh and Escambia County followed up a finding that some deeds transferring Perdido Key property from the Federal Government to private ownership in 1957 specified the southerly 75 feet of the Gulf front lots were “subject to a perpetual easement for a beach for public use generally.” The properties affected are from Perdido Skye Condominium to the eastern boundary of Perdido Key State Park. A lawsuit was recently filed against Escambia County challenging the easement. Attorney Robert Powell with Morehead Law Group is part of the legal team representing owners from six condo associations in the lawsuit (La Riva III, Portico, Mirabella, Ocean Breeze, the Palms of Perdido, and Windemere) and stated: “Florida law favors the marketability of title to real property, and it provides a vehicle to resolve disputes of this very nature that involve somewhat ancient claims or interests that are asserted in someone else’s property, like this easement.” Commissioner Jeff Bergosh who represents Perdido Key said: “I’m going to fight for the people. I’m going to keep that beach open, even if I have to go to the Supreme Court, as long as I’m in this office.” For more on this issue, go to the August 6, 2024 Pensacola News Journal article “Condo owners on Perdido Key file lawsuit over validity of new public easement on beach” by Mollye Barrows at https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2024/08/06/perdido-key-condo-owners-file-lawsuit-over-public-easement-on-beach/74671317007/.

Controversial Florida State Park Proposal Postponed

A proposal by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for major additions to several Florida state parks (part of the “Great Outdoors Initiative”) has been postponed by Governor DeSantis following substantial bipartisan opposition. According to “1000 Friends of Florida”: “The plans include building three golf courses on more than 1,000 acres of scrub habitat at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, as well as constructing 350-room lodges and pickleball courts at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County and Topsail State Park in Walton County. Nine parks altogether would be impacted.” “They [Florida state parks] are sanctuaries for wild lands, wildlife and the millions of people who treasure them. This is increasingly important in fast developing Florida. So the DEP proposal, if implemented, would represent a radical, irreversible change for lands within the Florida Parks system.” For more on the issue, see the August 29, 2024 Tallahassee Democrat article “Amid statewide backlash, DeSantis calls on DEP to put Florida state park plans on hold” by Gary Rohrer at https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/28/florida-gov-desantis-puts-controversial-state-parks-plans-on-hold-jonathan-dickinson/74980449007/; 1000 Friends of Florida comments drawn from August 21, 2024 and August 23, 2024 e-mails.

More Repairs to Perdido Key State Park

The Florida Park Service has approved funding to complete repairs to the West Use area of Perdido Key State Park, to include restroom renovations and boardwalk repairs.

Fish Farm

The off-shore fish farm proposed for the Gulf of Mexico about 26 miles south of Pensacola is in the permit approval process. US agencies including NOAA and important interest groups support its creation while some environmental and other groups are opposed. It would be the first major finfish farm in US federal waters though a small scale operation is approved for the Sarasota area but delayed by legal challenges. Concerns about off shore finfish farms include likely increase in nutrient levels in surrounding waters, possibility of disease spreading from fish farms to native species and dangers to whales and other sea life from the apparatus. The Perdido Key Association has joined the “Don’t Cage Our Oceans” coalition that opposes the fish farm. For information on the opposing initiative, go to Don’t Cage Our Oceans | STOP INDUSTRIAL OCEAN FISH FARMING (dontcageouroceans.org); for the website of the group proposing the fish farm, go to Florida Offshore – Manna Fish Farms; for an early report on the proposed fish farm, go to the July 20, 2023 Pensacola News Journal article “Pensacola may get one of Florida’s first offshore fish farms, and some are already worried” by Colin Warren-Hicks at Manna Fish Farms seeking to open Gulf of Mexico farm near Pensacola (pnj.com).

A Great Perdido Key Beach and Road Cleanup!

Perdido Key celebrated International Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 21, 2024 with a terrific turnout that helped cleanup our beaches and major roadways. Working from 8 AM to Noon, 65 volunteers hit the beaches and 40 took to the roads collecting trash they then deposited in containers provided by ECUA. Event sponsors included Florida State Parks Rangers, Perdido Key Association, Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce, and Friends of Pensacola State Parks with many additional donors funding the commemorative t-shirts provided to cleanup volunteers.

World Ocean Day 2024

World Ocean Day was held on June 8, 2024 at Escambia County Beach Access #4. Beginning with beach yoga, the event featured presentations by Escambia County’s Sea Turtle Ambassadors, Friends of Pensacola State Parks, Southwest Public Library and the Perdido Key Association as well as offerings from several vendors. While enjoying a beautiful day at the beach, the event provided those attending a great opportunity to learn more about the importance of the ocean and the fascinating sea life it supports. For more information on our oceans and the threats to them, please access the several Power Point slide presentations that follow:

PKA Annual Membership Meeting!

Approximately 30 people attended the Perdido Key Association Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the Eden Condominium, with others joining on Zoom. Featured speaker Christian Wagley, the coastal organizer for Healthy Gulf, gave a terrific presentation on several issues including potential threats from a proposed industrial fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico offshore from Pensacola and the status of and efforts to help the rare Rice’s whale. PKA President Stan Capua followed and addressed Perdido Key issues such as continued work to restore Perdido Key State Park and the Perdido Key Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore (Johnson Beach) from 2020’s Hurricane Sally damage, progress on the Perdido Key Multi-Use Path and other construction and development related issues. Other Board members provided information on the Perdido Key Drive/Johnson Beach Road roundabout and changes to Beach Access #2; “We Are Perdido” leader Steve Brendtro added an update on the Perdido area incorporation initiative. The meeting minutes will be posted shortly on the Archive page of the PKA website.

2023 PKA Holiday Party!

Those attending the PKA Holiday Party on December 11, 2023 at the Palacio Resort on Perdido Key Drive had a great time meeting old friends and making new ones. Wonderful food and multiple beverage choices were available and terrific decorations on display. The PKA Board of Directors wishes you and yours the very best of Holiday Seasons!

Go after Cogongrass Now!

 

A recent survey found patches of invasive beach vitex and cogongrass on Perdido Key. Cogongrass has passed its blooming season but can be identified by its long green leaves with distinctive white stripe in the center or off-center. Do not attempt to remove the plants by pulling or cutting because they can easily spread without proper procedures. Fall, however, is the proper season to spray for cogongrass. For more information on cogongrass, go to the UF/UFA Blog “Now is the Time to Search for Invasive Cogongrass” by Rick O’Connor at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2024/04/18/now-is-the-time-to-search-for-invasive-cogongrass/ and the October 11, 2024 UF/IFAS Panhandle Outdoors Newsletter article “Fall is Here, It’s Time to Spray Cogongrass” by Mark Mauldin at https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2024/10/11/fall-is-here-its-time-to-spray-cogongrass/.

Tracking Sea Turtles

 

We encounter sea turtles on Perdido Key during their nesting season and sometimes while fishing, but hopefully not harming or disturbing them greatly when we do so. Where are they the rest of the time? A “Sea Turtle Conservancy” project hopes to find out by using satellites to track their movements. For more on this issue, see the October 6, 2024 BBC article “How satellites are mapping the future of turtle conservation” by Carla Rosch at https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241001-how-satellites-are-mapping-the-future-of-turtle-conservation.

What about Styrofoam?

 

Plastic foam (brand name “Styrofoam”) “is extremely lightweight and is easily blown by the wind and dispersed as pollution, so it is nearly impossible to clean up after it makes its way into our environment and our ocean.” It is also “not recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.” There has been some movement to eliminate its production and distribution, but until then consumers should exercise care in the use and disposal of this often helpful but potentially detrimental material. Drawn from a September 30, 2024 Ocean Conservancy e-mail by Claudia Godreau.

Climate Change Scenarios

Scientists are keeping close track on three large scale developments that could radically change the earth’s climate in the next few decades. One is a rapid melting of the Thwaites Glacier (the so-called “Doomsday Glacier”) in Antarctica; another is the melting of the Greenland ice sheet; and third, the collapse of the “Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)” that brings warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic Ocean, depicted in the movie Day After Tomorrow. For a brief overview and status of each scenario, see the August 22, 2024 USA TODAY article “Scientists closely watch 3 climate change catastrophe scenarios” by Doyle Rice at Scientists closely watching these 3 disastrous climate change scenarios (yahoo.com).

Panthers on the Golf Course!

Some Florida panthers are raising their young on golf courses in Collier and Palm Beach counties. While normally elusive, continued development in Florida is creating more panther interaction with humans. For more on the current well being as well as disputes over the magnificent but endangered Florida panthers, go to the September 14, 2024 Palm Beach Post article “The Florida panther. No, not the hockey team, the state’s biggest cat. Can it Survive?” by Amy Bennett Williams at Florida’s largest county home to largest number of endangered panthers (palmbeachpost.com).

Balloons Can’t be that Bad?

Balloons are shockingly damaging to the marine ecosystem. “Every year, seabirds, turtles and other marine creatures are killed by ingesting or becoming entangled in balloon debris.” “Seabirds are 32 times more likely to die from ingesting balloons than from hard plastic; 78% of rubber debris ingested by sea turtles came from balloons.” “ICC [International Coastal Cleanup] volunteers have picked up over 1.8 million balloons on coastlines worldwide.” Drawn from October 29, 2024 Ocean Conservancy e-mail “Balloons don’t belong in our ocean” by Susannah Spruill.

Ocean Viruses and Bacteria in the Oceans

Are viruses “life” and are they in our oceans? What about bacteria in the oceans; are they good or bad? For more on these organisms go to the UF/UFAS  Panhandle Outdoors Newsletter articles “Marine Creatures of Northern Gulf of Mexico – Viruses” (October 18, 2024) at https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2024/10/18/marine-creatures-of-the-northern-gulf-of-mexico-viruses/ and “Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Bacteria” (October 25, 2024) at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2024/10/18/marine-creatures-of-the-northern-gulf-of-mexico-bacteria/, both by Rick O’Connor.

More Tiny Marine Creatures

Continuing his series on tiny marine creatures, Rick O’Connor discusses diatoms in his November 8, 2024 UF/UFAS Panhandle Outdoors article “Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Diatoms” at https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2024/11/08/marine-creatures-of-the-northern-gulf-of-mexico-diatoms/#:~:text=Diatoms%20are%20single%20celled%20algae,another%20photosynthetic%20pigment%20called%20fucoxanthin