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Dredging at Blind Pass, Sanibel/Captiva Islands - 2017
Yeah, I know it's kind of overkill to create three videos of this, but the heavy machinery produced such an interesting contrast with the beach, that I just found it all mesmerizing. And I just couldn't fit all the neat video, to me anyway, in a single video here. Besides, I took the videos in 4K, so what is not to like here? Heavy machinery and a beautiful beach!
Anyway, these videos were taken mid May, 2017.
This was just a lucky stroke for us. Planned on staying on Sanibel Island near Bowman Beach, and didn't know a thing about this dredging going on. When we got down there, the outflow for the dredging operation was dumping sand and shells (LOTS of shells!) on the west part of Bowman Beach. Talk about a bonanza!
FYI, Blind Pass is a narrow pass right between Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. Many people consider this neck of the woods to be one of the best shelling beaches in the world.
Honestly, when we first walked out onto the west end of Bowman Beach, I was pretty shocked to see that heavy machinery out there on the sand. And then that large black pipe. I thought "NOW what are they messing up on this beach?" I figured they were laying some sort of sewer line or something. But when I discovered that they were dredging the pass, I recalled reading people saying that one of the BEST times to be shelling in this area is during or right after they have dredged the pass. Well how about that!
Video #3 has some still photos of just some of the shells we found while I happened to have my camera in hand. Which I didn't do very often, because rain storms popped up without warning on many of the days we were there.
Of course there was a downside to this. The dredging really messed up the water for a while, and I didn't get to do nearly as much snorkeling as I had hoped. Evidently there was a lot of silt being sucked up during the dredging and dumped onto the beach, which during high tides and the storms coming through, washed it out into the water where it was suspended, making the water pretty murky. You could actually see a noticeable boundary from the beach to where the silt was affecting the water, and where it was not. But it's probably just as well, because I just might have gotten sick of picking up shells sooner or later. Did I mention that there were a LOT of shells there? Yeah, a LOT of broken ones from going through all that dredging plumbing, but still a LOT of really nice shells too.
I recall them dredging Ochlocknee Bay down past the boat ramp on Mashes Sands probably 20-25 years ago. All went well until the excavator fell in the water and overturned.....Don't know if any shells were uncovered. Probably oyster shells.
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I Have Noticed That A Lot Of People Demanding Free Stuff Are Not Wearing Work Boots.
Actually there are some real nice king's crowns and shark's eye shells out there. But most are occupied by hermit crabs. Seems to me I took video out there not that long ago, but I guess I never got around to processing and posting it.
Yeah, it's a nice place to visit, but I actually wouldn't want to live there. I wish more people had felt that way before all the rampant development took over.
Dredging at Blind Pass, Sanibel/Captiva Islands - 2017
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