Re:  the last two paragraphs from David Kirsh:

An easy point of observation of the redistribution of sand from a
renourishment project over the last almost 5 years has been the West Gulf
Drive area of Sanibel.  There was about 1/2 mile of beach replenished in the
Spring of 1996.  Prior to that time a number of homeowners were near having
their properties condemned due to erosion eating away at their
foundations/pilings, etc.  As a result of that erosion, the famous "Rocks" on
West Gulf Drive had been almost completely covered by the sand moving down
with the drift from the eroded area.  The replenished sand was a coarse
grey/black mixture from offshore, and I've been following its progress down
the beach since its arrival, which, not unexpectedly brought in numerous
species of shells not usually found on Sanibel proper.  The replenished sand
is now almost gone from its original placement, another renourishment program
is in the developmental stages, the erosion has moved farther South and East,
the "Rocks" are partially/intermittently exposed again, and the traces of the
replenished sand can now be found at least 3 miles down the beach and
probably much farther out into the Gulf.  As we only visit Sanibe 2-3 times a
year, I'm sure some longer term residents have more detail than I, but this
has been an interesting phenomenon to observe.  If you really want to get an
argument started, try tying this situation to the groin at the southern end
of Captiva where renourishment is a cyclical fact of life now and the
millions of dollars are budgeted regularly every 5-8 years.  Starting in the
very near future Blind Pass is scheduled to be partially dredged to open the
flow between the Gulf and Pine Island Sound which has been cut off for
several years.

Oh, what wondrous webs we weave....

Herb Chapin
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