[LobsterD]

When I left for the boat show last Tuesday, I saw one float anchored in Reynolds east of the loop bridge.

By Monday morning there was 1000 feet of floating pipe,half a dozen extra pipe floats, a pair of barges,2 tugs and a crew boat.
The barge with the crane is now at Short Beach. I think the CG station gets done first, then the inlet.
The tug captains say it's about a 3 month job once set up. Expect to see a big change

 

[BsBass]

Very nice job with the video. Thank you for sharing! Looking forward to the upcoming season.

 

[Dividends2]

Jones inlet

Best news all year. Hope they do a thorough job.
John

 

[GradySailfish]

Awesome news. I didn't think they would do it this year, but I think the ball is officially rolling. That inlet was getting bad. I'm guessing then by April it should be all done.

 

[Gaucho]

Good stuff.

 

[LeoDA]

Let's hope they have better luck than what's going on at Fire Island inlet. The equipment keeps breaking down, they're starting to fall behind.

 

[fish4me]

Long overdue.

 

[HEADCHEF1971]

leoda
why are they actually dredging the inlet?
will they be done by opening day? for stripers that is .
how will it effect 4x4 beach access?
how do you think the dredging in fi inlet will effect the spring run this year?
ive heard mixed remarks on the dredging. 50/50 split. positive and negative .
wanted to hear some opinions here.

 

[likeitreallyis]

HEADCHEF1971 wrote:
leoda
why are they actually dredging the inlet?
will they be done by opening day? for stripers that is .
how will it effect 4x4 beach access?
how do you think the dredging in fi inlet will effect the spring run this year?
ive heard mixed remarks on the dredging. 50/50 split. positive and negative .
wanted to hear some opinions here.

I may be wrong but I think it's to build up the beach, not for navigation.. hopefully they are long gone by opening day.. I would think the fishing suffers the first year as the bottom regrows and replenishes itself but I'm just speculating..

 

[CaptPaul]

The dredging will have little effect on fish movements while underway, and no effect shortly after completion.

Paul

 

[LeoDA]

likeitreallyis wrote:
HEADCHEF1971 wrote:
leoda
why are they actually dredging the inlet?
will they be done by opening day? for stripers that is .
how will it effect 4x4 beach access?
how do you think the dredging in fi inlet will effect the spring run this year?
ive heard mixed remarks on the dredging. 50/50 split. positive and negative .
wanted to hear some opinions here.

I may be wrong but I think it's to build up the beach, not for navigation.. hopefully they are long gone by opening day.. I would think the fishing suffers the first year as the bottom regrows and replenishes itself but I'm just speculating..


Dredging helps navigation and beach replenishment. Supposed to be done every couple of years, but they've been stretched the last 5 years with Katrina and Home Land Security. The debates are usually where to put the sand.
It'll have subtle effects, like creating or removing a few productive spots. Time to start scouting.
Areas to check; dredging area, replenishment area, staging areas. What you are looking for, are holes, and to see if currents have changed in those particular areas, creating new ambush spots or areas that fish may stage in.

This post edited by LeoDA 04:26 PM 01/12/2008

 

[LobsterD]

From the Point Lookout Civic Association:

Friends- wrote:
Friends-

This is an important update from the Point Lookout Civic Association regarding the dredging of Jones Inlet and an upcoming press conference on Saturday in Point Lookout.

YES, what you see in the water ARE dredges - we did it!! Gerry O always said he would believe it when he sees it - well here we go.

Altogether we are scheduled to receive about 700,000 cubic yards of sand on Civic, Middle and the Town/Public beaches of Point Lookout. This is in excess of original projections because the bidding came in better than expected. It will be exciting to see our beautiful new beaches and we will all surely enjoy the extra elbow room this summer, but more importantly we are temporarily safer from the threat of storms as well.

IMPORTANT DREDGING INFORMATION:
The dredges are scheduled to begin working sometime between January 13-16th. Thereafter they may work up to 24 hours a day to complete the task as soon as is practical. At the absolute latest the project will be done by is 4/1/08 - but good weather could see it done more quickly.
The work involves heavy machinery - please keep your distance from the work/beaches for your own safety!!
The dredging will result in some level of noise and we anticipate periodic inconveniences, particularly for our neighbors near the water. PLEASE, take it in stride. It is a temporary and minor situation compared with the alternative of seeing the ocean grow ever closer to our homes.

VERY IMPORTANT PRESS CONFERENCE:
A press conference has been scheduled for this Saturday 1/12 at 11am, most likely on Civic beach. We cannot stress how important it is for strong attendance by Point Lookout residents.

***********We need as many people to thank our elected officials as who lobbied them for their support**********

U.S. Rep. Peter King, Supervisor Kate Murray, State Sen. Dean Skelos and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg are schedule to be in attendance.

Not only do we need to say thank you, WE NEED FURTHER SUPPORT FROM THEM AS OUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE!!!!!!!

The new sand is a temporary fix. The current project involved NO engineering work to further secure the beaches and dunes. We are still in need of a Storm Damage Reduction Plan, without which storms will simply wash our new beach back into the ocean over time and increasingly expose our homes to the threat of mother nature. The wheels are in motion, but there is a lot of work to be done. Our elected officials remain key, PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT THIS SATURDAY.

Respectfully,

PLCA

Here's the latest.

 

[Aquarius]

I took a walk down to West End II. There is a lot of activity going on in Sloop Channel. I took these shots from the construction dock just to the west of the Coast Gaurd Station.

The dredge was not working in this area. It was just sitting there at anchor or on its spuds. There seemed to be yellow bouys supporting a submerged section of pipe going towards the Coast Gaurd Station. I know the water in the Short Beach basin is shallow, but I didn't think it would be dredged as part of this project.

There is another run of piping on the surface from Long Creek all the way towards Swift Creek. Not sure what that is all about. I figure they are just stagging the pipe before moving it to Point Lookout beach.

I looked through my binoculars towards the inlet and I could make out some yellow bouys and piping in the bouy 3/4 area going towards the East Bar. No pictures, sorry, too far for the camera.

I checked the info on the ACE web site and there is no mention of dredging the Short Beach Boat Basin.

 

[LobsterD]

My new guess would be they need both sides of the inlet to stage all that piping.

 

[Maybe_Tonight]

You can count on Demo being changed following this operation. At one point last week it appeared they were sitting right on the tip of the bar. Going across the bridge yesterday(Sunday)I could see the bar did not extend into the inlet as far as it did.

CaptPaul, I wonder what your thoughts are on the 6can in the inlet?? I wondering if they might get that thing moved back more to the southeast direction it came from. It would be nice to get that thing back where it belongs!!

 

[CaptPaul]

SurfStix,

It would be nice if they can eliminate enough material from that bar to get the buoy as far east as possible. The ebb runs hard down the beach, and that extra half-mile on the inbound trip is like prison. But more importantly, it will allow the flood current more access to push water in, which is key to the flushing the Bay has been getting less and less of over the years. They are working on that bar as part of an extension to the project, so hopefully they remove the entirety of it, for whatever length they can afford to, rather than just eat away at the south side of it until the run out of authorization, leaving a thin wall.

As for changes, the removal of the bar will obviously eliminate one striper rip, and relocate the fishery to the bars westerly of five buoy, and the seven and eight buoy rips. There are enough spots left, and this will serve to concentrate the bite. Also, selfishly, it will eliminate people anchoring in the narrowest part of the inlet, and looking at me as if I'm the fool when I have to run down their side to transit.

Otherwise, the dredging of the red bar is probably only rewinding, or fast-forwarding the clock, eliminating an in-between time. We will be back five years, when the deep water was just off the corner of Demo, and the bar will once again buld west- As opposed to not doing anything, where I feel the North-west bound bar would eventually constrain the inlet to the point where the ebb and flood would work to break through pretty close to Demo, as seems to have already started.

I do hope they completely removed the bar east of four buoy, as I am not sure exactly where they started as they worked north. I was told that they would go back to four buoy and work south after they got a clear passage into the inlet for the dredge, but after the last repositioning of equipment, it seems they will finish the project there.

Paul

 

[Maybe_Tonight]

CaptPaul,

Could not agree with you more!! Since the Demo bar extended following the big blow in summer 06 the fall seasons inside by the 8 - 9 cans have been somewhat off in my opinion. Those rips were fairly reliable prior to the Demo changes but I found them difficult after. The bite moved out towards the beautiful rip/bar in the mouth of the inlet. I also feel that if they can cut the bar back it would greatly improve the flow on both flood and ebb.

I don't see the bar being shortened as causing any concern from the beach either as the tip of this bar has ALWAYS, regardless of it's length, had very deep water along with adjoining flat causing terrific rip condition. Better flow might even square the point off a bit to let more guys get at the inlet itself !!!

 

[Aquarius]

Weekend update.

I took a ride around Point Lookout and over to West End 2. The dredge is in the inlet, but I don't think they are moving any sand yet. It looked like they were towing the dredge to the north while I was taking these pictures. Small barge with derrick was dragging a large anchor.

 

[CaptPaul]

I passed offshore there this morning, and it was strange to me. The dredge was pretty much o the south edge of the bar, facing south, and the anchor barges were setting the anchors up. The cutter-head was up, but the float hose was attached. Not sure if they were going to turn it around and start, or what.

Paul

 

[Aquarius]

It looks like some sand is moving. You can watch the progress from the Point Lookout WEB cam.