Lido Key, Florida -- Sarasota's beaches took a pounding from the recent storms that flooded some Bay area communities. Three months after rebuilding beaches lost by Tropical Storm Debby much of that sand has washed away and city officials don't expect any money to replace it.
Good thing it's low tide otherwise these beachgoers on parts of Lido Key would not have where to set up their beach chairs.
"I was out here in May we had a nice beach in May now in August look 90% of it's gone again," says Vic Whitfield a time share owner.
The recent storms washed out about 4 feet of sand and 80 feet of beach front. The erosion and low tide revealed a 3-foot piece of rebar. Whitfield covered it to protect swimmers he says city workers are supposed to remove it.
"It's aggravating to me." Whitfield owns a timeshare 5 weeks out of the year at Suntide Island Beach Club. He has been a property owner since the 1980s.
"When I bought I had beach front now I hardly don't have any beach front," says Whitfield.
The pounding surf also washed away some turtles' nests.
According to Mote, early estimates show about 200 of 23-hundred turtles nests between Longboat Key and Venice washed away.
"Erosion is an ongoing problem," says Walt Fallon, manager of the Suntide timeshare resort.
Fallon says, "Once every 5 years not enough falls apart after 2 years after renourishment all predicated on how many storms we have."
Sarasota city officials are working with the county and Army Corps of Engineers on a 50-year beach renourishment plan for Lido Key that it requires taking sand from Big Pass on the south end of Lido.
"We're led to believe that's our sand," says Fallon.
But some Siesta Key residents object to the plan worried it will impact their beach.
City officials say it will help protect Lido Key and have no impact on Siesta Key's beach.
Alex Davis Shaw, Sarasota city engineer, says "We would always have a safety berm of 80 feet then have a beach we expect will erode."
Under the long-term plan the Army Corps would have funding for emergencies says Davis Shaw. But since this is an unnamed storm city engineers do not expect any more money to renourish Lido Beach.
Whitfield says, "I just like to get back what we lost."
