So when I got home from work today I started a painting. It was nothing exciting; just a simple oil-based mock up of the ocean. As the work progressed, I decided that it would be worth my time to stroll down to the beach and snap a few pictures of said ocean. What I ended up with was several shots of a five-meter stretch of sand separating A1A from the angry sea herself. What once had been a long, lovely stretch of seashore was now a heavily eroded shadow of its former self. Where had all of my sand gone?
You see, I’m from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Lauderdale is more or less a slightly smaller version of Miami, with slightly better drivers, and even lovelier beaches. Besides feeding our largely tourism-based economy, the local sands serve as a home for a wide variety of native plant life. In addition to that, these delicate banks serve as the incubator for the native sea turtles. But where did we put those beaches?
The answer lies in the natural flow of the ocean. In Fort Lauderdale, As well as pretty much any other costal area, there exists a longshore current. It is aptly named, in that the current moves… along the shore.
One of the most important results of this natural phenomenon is a continuous influx of sand. Our beaches need this sand to replenish the coastline when the waves begin to take their toll. So then, what happens when we hinder that longshore drift? Bad things happen. The beaches go away, and with them the natural plant life and animal habitat. One little sliver of coastline, so very delicate, and so very evanescent.
So we ask ourselves, “Self, why has all of the sand stopped coming down to lovely South Florida?” And the answer can be summed up with this one, simple photograph:

Aerial view of Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
That photo is of Port Everglades, which is the heart of the Fort Lauderdale trade, yachting, fishing, and cruise ship industries, to name a few. What this picture illustrates is the effect of jetties on the flow of sand down the coastline. As you can see, the north (right-hand) side of the jetty has built up quite a beach, because it hinders the flow of the longshore current and has created a repository for the sand carried by it.
On the other hand, the south (left-hand) side of the jetty shows a clear and obvious lack of beach. This side of port everglades features one of the few coastal parks we have, and unfortunately erosion is taking its toll on John U. Lloyd state park. The location of the jetty is clearly responsible for the deteriorating state of the coastline, which has resulted in considerable strain on the rare dune flora that grows in close proximity to the ocean.
Throughout my high school days I volunteered at this park, and watched the delicate sands wash away with the tides, time, and hurricanes. When will a permanent solution be found for the troubles that ail this town’s seashore? I believe that as soon as the value of our environment begins to outweigh the cost of its upkeep, that day will come. Let’s hope that it is not too late. Let’s hope our grandchildren know what a sea turtle is, and can see the beauty of the dune grasses blowing in the wind, not in a picture, but before their very eyes.

Special thanks to:

David McRee and BeachHunter.net for the use of his photograph of the eroded shoreline. BeachHunter.net is an awesome site for anything and everything beach-related.

And SkyPic.com for allowing me to link to their wonderful aerial shot of Port Everglades. Check them out too!