Photos and information by Annj Willis
October 16, 2020
During the Week of September 13, Amelia Island experienced a strong northeaster. Annj Willis sent photos showing the damage caused by the storm’s impact on American Beach. Willis is an avid beach walker. She saw 3 to 4 feet of beach taken away during Hurricane Matthew. But, the significant damage done by this storm overwhelmed her. “It looked like a war zone,” said Willis. Now cars are driving and parking where portions of the dunes once stood.
Further south sand fences are placed to encourage dune build up. But according to Willis, there isn’t enough room for sand fencing at American Beach.
“Isn’t it time to protect our shores?, asks Willis. If not, “American Beach becomes more vulnerable every year.”
I thought much the same way ten years ago when we first relocated here. A “local”~~~someone who had only lived here at that point some 20 years had the best advice~~~~~, “leave the beach alone it has been coming back for thousands of years”. So true after a few Nor’easter’s we’ve seen here. As hard as it maybe for all the helicopter folks now calling this island “home”…… heed the advice~~~leave it alone. Translation you cannot “fix” everything you lay eyes on.