Smathers Beach in Key West Renourished
BY Les Neuhaus Citizen Staff
Fifteen to 30 trucks a day bring in fresh veneer of sand. Smathers Beach is recapturing some of its former good looks with a massive infusion of silicon.Key West city officials say the makeover — “renourishment” in beach-speak — consists of a fresh new veneer of lily-white sand, and has been a long time coming.
Tags: Beach
Heavy equipment staging for the project began on June 7, but it wasn’t until Thursday that crews began spreading 17,500 tons of sand to restore aspects of the popular man-made beach.
Mother Nature is responsible for the beach’s loss of luster, city spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.
“The Smathers Beach renourishment is a project to replenish sand that wears away over the years from storms and erosion,” Crean said. “It’s a $749,000 project with 50 percent grant funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The other 50 percent of the cost is split by the city and by a grant from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council (TDC).”
The TDC’s capital improvement fund helps sustain areas and resources that attract tourists to the Keys — such as beaches, she said.
“It’s been over seven years since the last full renourishment,” she said. “In the intervening years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has funded occasional berm repair projects after tropical storms.”
The project will continue through early July, said Janet K. Luce, the on-site inspector for Atkins Global, a London-based global engineering and design consulting firm that recently acquired the Tampa firm PBS&J.
“We provide construction oversight and permit compliance,” Luce said. “We have an environmental-services contract set up with the city of Key West.”
The project is moving west to east along the beach, which will remain open to the public, said Doug Bradshaw, senior project manager for the city’s Engineering Department. “There may be periodic closings of small sections of the beach for safety, but we’re trying to keep everything there operating normally.”
Between 15 and 30 trucks a day are bringing loads of sand to the beach, he said.
Key West Captain Cited With Illegal Possession of 60 Stone Crab Claws
The state wildlife agency confiscated 60 out-of-season stone crab claws from a Key West boat coming home at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, says the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The commercial fisherman and captain of the Maru was cited with illegal possession of the claws and interference with an FWC officer, both misdemeanors. He was issued a notice to appear in court.
The Maru was south of Key West, returning to port, when the captain apparently saw FWC Lt. Roy Payne approaching and made a sharp turn, speeding up, as the crew dumped overboard white trash bags of the claws.
The captain at first denied the crime, but after the officer found similar trash bags aboard, he and his mate allegedly admitted to it and wrote out confessions.
No tags for this post.Categories: Commercial Fishing, Key West, Stone Crab Tags:
Florida Keys Seafood Festival – Key West
The Keys celebrate the bounty of the sea — Florida lobster, yellowtail, sweet pink shrimp, grouper, stone crab claws and more — during the third annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 19. The event, at Key West’s Bayview Park at Truman Avenue and Eisenhower Drive, features music and children’s activities as well as such specialties as conch chowder and conch fritters. All the seafood available for purchase will be prepared by fishermen and their families. Admission is free. Proceeds benefit the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association and scholarships for college-bound children of commercial fishermen. Call 800-527-8539.
Categories: Commercial Fishing, Fishing, Florida Keys, Key West, Lobster Tags: Grouper, Lobster
Conquering the Quieter Side of Key West
No tags for this post.Categories: Florida Keys, Kayak, Key West, On the Water Tags:
General Cigar Announces Counterfeit COHIBA Cigars Seized in Key West
General Cigar announces that federal and Florida state law enforcement officials yesterday seized more than 3,000 counterfeit COHIBA cigars from seven tobacco retail stores located in prime tourist areas of Key West, Florida.
Individual cigars were sold at approximately $20 apiece. Based on current estimates, the approximate street value of goods seized was more than $60,000.
The counterfeit cigar seizures followed a lengthy investigation conducted in cooperation with General Cigar Company, which is the exclusive owner of the COHIBA trademark in the U.S. The lead law enforcement agency for yesterday’s seizures was the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, assisted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Dan Carr, president of General Cigar said, “The seizure of counterfeit COHIBA cigars yesterday represents a clear victory in General Cigar’s fight to protect our cigar bands from counterfeiters and trademark infringers. We look forward to continuing to cooperate with federal and state law enforcement officials in Florida and have offered to assist in any prosecutions and future investigations.”
No tags for this post.Categories: Key West Tags:
Glenn Bennett Catches Potential All-Tackle Length Record Greater Amberjack in Key West
Philadelphia, PA, USA native Glenn Bennett recently took a trip to Key West, FL, USA with his daughter and IGFA record holder, Brielle Bennett, to do some record hunting with his brother Captain Brian Bennett. The trip produced three potential record fish for young Brielle, but Glenn also joined the fun with a 140 cm greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) that he landed on July 17, 2011. With the current record at 120 cm, Bennett’s fish qualifies for a new potential All-Tackle Length record as it was released after being photographed and measured.
Well Known Key West Local Sentenced for Illegal Sales of Black Grouper
David Paul Horan Jr. was sentenced to two years’ probation and 200 hours of community service Wednesday for illegally selling black grouper in 2008 to the Rusty Anchor fish house on Stock Island.
Horan Jr., 42, of Key West, pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in August in which he will testify in other such cases in exchange for them not recommending the maximum sentence of five years’ prison, three years’ probation and a $250,000 fine, court documents say.
He was sentenced at the federal courthouse in Key West before U.S. District Judge Michael K. Moore, who had already approved the plea deal. Horan Jr., who is not a commercial fisherman, had a state license that allowed him to sell fish commercially, but not a federal license to harvest federally protected grouper.
No tags for this post.Key West Lobsterfest Aug. 12-14, 2011
Sensational Crustaceans to Star at Key West Lobsterfest Aug. 12-14
KEY WEST, Florida Keys — A hearty appetite and a passion for lobsters are mandatory during the 15th annual Key West Lobsterfest, a celebration of Florida’s clawless lobster set for Friday through Sunday, Aug. 12-14. The event salutes the start of the Florida Keys lobster season, which runs from Aug. 6, 2011, through March 31, 2012.
Often called spiny lobsters, the Keys’ clawless crustaceans offer sweet and tender meat. Commonly served steamed with melted butter, they also can be baked and stuffed or used in savory recipes.
Lobsterfest’s kick-off party is set for 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at Rick’s/Durty Harry’s Entertainment Complex, 202 Duval St. Attendees can rock to live music at Durty Harry’s, or join local radio station WEOW FM 92.7 for a 10 p.m. live broadcast upstairs at Rick’s.
Also Friday night, the annual Lobsterfest Duval Crawl is set for just after sunset on Key West’s famed Duval Street.
The weekend’s “main course,” the tastebud-tempting Key West Lobsterfest Street Fair, is to take place noon through 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, in the 100 through 500 blocks of Duval. Lobster lovers can savor dishes ranging from appetizers to traditional lobster dinners, all featuring crustaceans caught by Keys fisherman and prepared by chefs from local restaurants.
A free concert by top regional bands is slated for 1-10:30 p.m. on a stage at the intersection of Duval and Greene streets. Scheduled acts include Alphonse, Cool Breeze, C.W. Colt and Techno Dread.
Other attractions include booths of arts, crafts and even lobster-themed merchandise.
Lobsterfest concludes with an 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday lobster brunch at the Doubletree Grand Key Resort, 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd. For reservations, call 305-293-1818.
Events benefit a scholarship fund for Key West High School students.
Event information:www.keywestlobsterfest.com
Key West Lobster Fest 2010
KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Melted butter is optional, but a taste for crustaceans is essential at the 14th annual Key West Lobsterfest scheduled Friday through Sunday, Aug. 6-8. The festival commemorates the start of the Florida Keys lobster season with events that include an open-air lobster feast on Key West’s famed Duval Street.
Florida lobsters, sometimes called spiny lobsters, are known for their sweet, tender meat. Unlike their northern cousins, the spiny specimens have no claws.
Purists savor them steamed, with each bite dipped in melted butter. They also can be baked and stuffed, served cold in salads or incorporated into dishes ranging from bisques to fritters to omelets.
The festival’s enticing “entrée” is the Key West Lobsterfest Street Fair, set for noon through 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, in the 100 through 500 blocks of Duval.
Lobster lovers can sample dishes ranging from tempting appetizers to traditional lobster dinners with all the trimmings. Chefs from as many as 20 local restaurants are to prepare specialties featuring fresh crustaceans caught by Florida Keys lobster fishermen.
Attendees also can browse and buy art, crafts and merchandise from on-site vendors.
A free outdoor concert is slated to begin at 1 p.m. and continue through 10:30 p.m. from a stage at the intersection of Duval and Greene streets. The talent lineup includes top local and regional acts Alphonse, Bubba System, Cool Breeze and Techno Dread.
Other Lobsterfest events include a kick-off party Friday, Aug. 6, at Rick’s/Durty Harry’s Entertainment Complex, 202 Duval St., a Friday night Duval Crawl and a mouthwatering lobster brunch Sunday, Aug. 8.
The crustacean celebration benefits a scholarship fund for Key West High School students.
For more information, visit www.keywestlobsterfest.com or e-mail info@ricksanddurtyharrys.com. For accommodations information in Key West, call the Key West Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-LAST-KEY (800-527-8539) or visit the Keys website at www.fla-keys.com.
Tags: Lobster, Lobster 2010Boating With Wild Dolphin in Key West – Video
Amazing video of hundreds of dolphins running with our boat 30 miles offshore south of Key West, Florida,
Video from FishMonsterMedia