It could ALWAYS be worse, like if they model their efforts after the breakwater that killed Dana Point, CA.
surfer666... it's not just about creating surf. We have to look at the big picture... the long term solution... not the quick fix that has to be repeated over and over into infinity. Simply pumping sand is short sighted and impractical as a long term solution. Pumping has it's place, but not everywhere. This is an issue that crosses many boundaries... ecology, recreation, development, economics, tourism, employment, technology... and the solution will necessarily involve all of these.
Lumpy - Dude 7th used to be the spot back in the day. I'm talking like back in the 70s and 80s. It was a perfect wave on just about any swell. Ever since the last beach replinishment, it hasn't worked.
if I never surfed, fished, or went to the beach a day in my life I'd be against this bull****. The ACOE is a completely worthless organization staffed by incompetent fools who if they ever had to find a way to make a living on the open market as engineers or in any enterprise would probably be living on the streets. Let me assure you that when they do a project and they pad budgets and cut corners and give work to their friends i.e. business-as-usual, and then when it causes massive property loss and loss of life, they don't care at all, all they worry about is CYA. I am lifelong Democrat, and when I think of the ACOE I start to think that maybe the Tea Party is onto something.
seems though we aren't 'replenished' here the crap sand pumped north of here comes down and wrecks the bars here anyway
MDSurfer... The last project in Long Branch, as described in that article, was an interesting experiment. I would post an eyes on report once a week for the duration of the project, telling exactly what I saw as the project went along, and even speaking to the guys doing the work on site. I put my reports up under my daily surf report, and absolutely "incensed" a few of the Surfrider guys because I told the TRUTH. When all was said and done, the project was not carried out as planned, and the results were never what they were hoped to be... a sand point break. Did it improve the wave that broke there? Sure... for a couple months. But to the credit of those who designed the project, at least it didn't totally destroy every break in town like other "straight line" projects had done. So in that sense ONLY, it was a success.
if they did every beach replenishment like that, i wouldn't mind. a sand point break would be sick. but they should at least do it right. they're complaining that the sand was being eroded faster than they could pump, but they're doing it in the middle of the winter season when ocean currents are strongest. it sounds like they did a half-ass job just to temporarily appease the surfers. and as a far as ending beach replenishment altogether goes, i don't think people are doing enough to stop it. this point break idea is the closest anyone has come to an alternative, and when they do come with their pumps and dredges, everyone sits idly and watches it happen. we need to work together with surfrider and the ACOE to develop better alternatives instead of sticking with the same method of replenishing beaches that obviously doesn't work.
