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Navarre Beach Pier opens
Mike Greear • mgreear@pnj.com • June 6, 2010
Hundreds of people flocked to Navarre Beach on Saturday to help open the new and improved Navarre Beach Pier.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the $8.6 million pier was preceded by a speech from state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who said the pier is a symbol of Santa Rosa County's resilience during a time of disaster. The previous pier was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Dennis the
next year.
"The comeback for Northwest Florida starts today with this pier," Gaetz said. Santa Rosa County commissioners also spoke at the event.
For the local fishing community, the new pier has been a dream for nearly six years.
"We've been anticipating this forever," said Tony White, 54, of Navarre.
White caught the first fish of the morning, a 40-pound redfish.
"It's a good way to start," he said.
The opening of the pier comes as oil and tar balls from the April 20 Gulf spill have begun washing ashore. Some fishing enthusiasts hope the pier provides a silver lining to that dark cloud.
"It's ironic," said Masami Lewis, 41, about the timing of the pier's opening. "But you make the best of the worst situation."
Some anglers said they prefer the Navarre pier over the fishing pier on Pensacola Beach, in part because it extends farther into the Gulf, where larger fish swim.
The new pier boasts an octagonal end with a wider surface area, as well as breakaway wood panels to prevent damage to the main structure during a storm.
"They did a good job," said Milton resident Jerry Couey, 50, who has been fishing in Navarre since the first pier was opened. "It will be here for many years."
Hundreds of people flocked to Navarre Beach on Saturday to help open the new and improved Navarre Beach Pier.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the $8.6 million pier was preceded by a speech from state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who said the pier is a symbol of Santa Rosa County's resilience during a time of disaster. The previous pier was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Dennis the
next year.
"The comeback for Northwest Florida starts today with this pier," Gaetz said. Santa Rosa County commissioners also spoke at the event.
For the local fishing community, the new pier has been a dream for nearly six years.
"We've been anticipating this forever," said Tony White, 54, of Navarre.
White caught the first fish of the morning, a 40-pound redfish.
"It's a good way to start," he said.
The opening of the pier comes as oil and tar balls from the April 20 Gulf spill have begun washing ashore. Some fishing enthusiasts hope the pier provides a silver lining to that dark cloud.
"It's ironic," said Masami Lewis, 41, about the timing of the pier's opening. "But you make the best of the worst situation."
Some anglers said they prefer the Navarre pier over the fishing pier on Pensacola Beach, in part because it extends farther into the Gulf, where larger fish swim.
The new pier boasts an octagonal end with a wider surface area, as well as breakaway wood panels to prevent damage to the main structure during a storm.
"They did a good job," said Milton resident Jerry Couey, 50, who has been fishing in Navarre since the first pier was opened. "It will be here for many years."
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