Signs of tropical storm Fay were seen around the Amelia Island area this week after the storm came through northeast Florida and lingered.
The sea oats that line the dunes along Main Beach Park in Fernandina, had a tattered, tired look. Tidy debris piles line the roadways, awaiting sanitation pickup -- evidence local residents have been quite busy cleaning up fallen branches, twigs, and leaves. Trees came down, too, around Nassau County, Florida, and a lot of rain, as “the never ending story,” Fay, stayed around the local area far too long.
At Fernandina Beach's Main Beach Park, further evidence of the storm lay in the parking lot – sand deposited in the parking spaces in front of Sandy Bottoms, the oceanfront bar and grill (pictured above). The boardwalk at Main Beach connecting the gazebos was also covered with sand.
The ocean has its way of showing upset by what's left behind on the beaches in a storm's aftermath. Apparently sea urchins had quite a rough time in churning seas, considering that oodles washed up on Amelia Island's beaches after Fay. Beachcombers can vouch that you don't see urchins washed up on the beach very often, and certainly not in large numbers.
North of the Jasmine Beach access in Fernandina, the beach was heavily laden with shells, along with the round urchins, minus their spines. In about half an hour, I picked up over 40 urchins, these button-like works of sea art. At first, I put them in two large shells, to hold them (pictured above), since I hadn't brought a bag or bucket for my walk on the beach. I needed something else, and soon came upon a discarded plastic bag (thanks to a thoughtless litter bug).
Apparently, what I found along the beach are sea urchin “tests.” The “test” is the urchin's round skeleton, minus the spines. In the aftermath of storms like noreasters and tropical storms, you're more likely to find sea urchin “tests” on northeast Florida beaches.
Rainfall amounts from Fay really fluctuated – it appears here in Nassau County, some got anywhere from about 6 inches to as much as 20 inches of rain. Along Amelia Island's beaches, some oceanfront homes lost roofing shingles here and there (pictured, roofers repairing a beach home on South Fletcher Avenue in Fernandina Beach).
It was actually the western part of Nassau County, Florida – Hilliard and Callahan – not Amelia Island, getting the worst of tropical storm Fay in the way of flooding. Reportedly, Hilliard got 20 or so inches of rain. Residents in the area of Thomas Creek, are experiencing hardship, with extremely flooded homes.
While 30 or so residents suffered hardship, and likely despair, with flooded homes in the western part of the county on the mainland, the majority of Nassau County, Florida residents likely feel relieved (and lucky) that Fay left them largely untouched, except for some extra yard work. Even the power outages for most residents were minimal or non-existent.
Thus, all things considered – the very long duration of Fay and the large amounts of rainfall – the fair barrier isle of Amelia faired pretty well in this storm. The island, did, however, suffer beach erosion. Fernandina's Mayor Malcom reportedly feels Fay caused “15 to 20 percent erosion” on the city's beaches. A city beach nourishment project had been underway, nearing completion when Fay arrived in town (see also “Just in the Nick of Time” blog with more about Fernandina's beach nourishment project, photos).
Apparently, Fay eroded a lot of sand that was just recently deposited on Fernandina's beaches with the beach nourishment project which dumped tons of sand on the beaches from Fort Clinch State Park heading south past the Jasmine Beach access. The sand deposits weren't completely finished before Fay. The beachfront leading up to the project's ending point of Sadler Road/Seaside Park did not get sand prior to Fay, and still needs to be completed. In this area of the beach, after Fay, you can see the beach is eroded right up to beach home staircases.
Looking at the Jasmine Beach access after it was widened with sand prior to Fay, and seeing it now after Fay, it's apparent she eroded enormous amounts of the newly deposited sand.
On the brighter side, reportedly the “equilibrium” (getting the newly deposited sand to slope with what was already on the beach), was done by Fay in a matter of days (rather than the normal 6 to 12 months time).
Also, it appears for some oceanfront homeowners on the northern end of Amelia Island, the newly deposited sand which widened the beach was, indeed, “just in the nick of time.” The high, churning seas caused by Fay may possibly have taken a few homes away, otherwise, or brought sea water into the homes.
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