Mold Remediation in Mexico Beach, FL

MEXICO BEACH — More sand was not the only thing pumped on shore during a project to correct coastal erosion.

According to Mell Smigielski, city administrator for Mexico Beach, the city has accumulated more than 14 tons of shells that were siphoned on shore along more sand during the recent beach renourishment project.

The mounds of shells are now located near the Mexico Beach Boat Ramp.

"When they dredged that sand out of the Gulf, the larger shells got taken off to the side, and then we have to dump them because you can't throw large shells onto the beach," Smigielski said. "They were transported to safe area for us to deal with."

He noted the city on June 6-7 invited members of the public to come and fill 5-gallon buckets with the shells for free. Hundreds of people showed up, some of whom even traveled from other states such as Texas.

They just had to sign a release stating they would not sell the shells. It is a requirement that the city not sell them, or anyone that the city gives them to not sell them.

"The piles out there were so large that we requested the people not (climb) on (them) because the shells could shift, and they could fall and get hurt," Smigielski said.

City officials also thought of other creative uses for the shells, in addition to giving them away to avid collectors.

"We are using the shells around the city for some of our drainage areas to kind of shore that up, as well as in some of our parking lots out at the boat ramp," he said. "Instead of just having sand, we'll have a shell base, which will be a big benefit."

Looking ahead, Mexico Beach plans to hold more days for the public to get shells. Smigielski expects for the next collection days to occur during the last weekend in June.

"(The shells were) the added benefit that we really did not foresee coming," Smigielski said. "To be able to find some shells that aren't broken, and some unique shells, was just an added flavor for the public."

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -For months, Mexico Beach has been hard at work with its beach restoration project, which pumped about a million cubic yards of sand onto the beach, lengthening the shoreline by one hundred fifty feet.

“The beach restoration project is something that is going to give the upland structures protection from future storms and erosion,” explains Kimberly Shoaf, the President of the Mexico Beach Community Development Council.

Now, the project is finished, leaving behind nearly 14.5 tons of seashells.

“For part of the project, we used a shell extractor,” said Shoaf.“Part of that process was extracting any additional things that could be found in the sand, including shells.”

In early June, the city invited the public to sift through the shell pile, located at the local boat ramp.

" We had close to four to five hundred people a day for two days,” said Mark Steele, the public works director for Mexico Beach. “We estimate about 1,000 people taking five-gallon buckets of shells each, and it did not dent it very much. We are planning on additional days to come in the near future.”

The shells that aren’t collected will be utilized for other purposes.

“Whatever shells are not handed out to collectors or residents are being re-purposed for city usage to help with parking lots and stormwater drainage,” adds Steele. “The shells are going to good use, we plan on using as much as we can.

City leaders said the next shell collection day should be around the Fourth of July, but that date has not officially been set.

News Channel 7 will continue with updates when it’s announced.

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Atlantic or Gulf, mainland or island, secluded or buzzing with activity—we love a beach any which way it comes. But we’d be lying if we didn’t admit to being a bit partial to white-sand beaches with crystal-clear water. (If you’re interested in the later, check out this Florida town.) For those seeking a blindingly white shoreline to lay your towel in, there’s one place to go: Clearwater Beach, Florida. Yes, the city is named for the impressive color and clarity of its water, but it could just as easily be named for its sugar-white sands.

Not only is Clearwater’s sand the most impressive shade of pure white, but it also has a unique powdery texture that makes it an absolute dream to take a mid-day snooze on. It’s also so soft that even the littlest of kiddos can dig around in it all day and go home without so much as a tiny scrape to their skin. Clearwater’s beaches are mostly devoid of shells, so you won’t have to worry about cutting your foot on a sharp fragment while you’re walking along the water’s edge. Go ahead, kick those sandals off and get used to the feeling of the sand between your toes.

Why Is Clearwater’s Sand So White?

There’s actually a scientific reason that Clearwater’s sand is so white (and so soft!). Rather than being made of finely crushed seashells that have been ground down over millions of years, Clearwater’s sand is made up of white quartz. The mineral is much softer than shells or fossil fragments, which accounts for that unparalleled velvety texture. And the sparkly quality of the quartz crystal translates into sand that seems to glow white. When the sun beams reflect off the particles just right, all we can say is make sure you’ve got sunglasses handy! The combo of the two can be difficult to take in with the naked eye.

Did you know that beaches with white quartz sand also tend to have prettier water? Sun rays reflect light off the underwater quartz particles, making the sand shine upwards onto the water’s surface and creating that signature crystal-clear emerald shade.

If you’re wondering how white quartz made its way to the coast, look no further than the end of the last Ice Age about 20,000 years ago. When temperatures started heating up, ice caps began melting, causing water from the Appalachian Mountains to flow into the Apalachicola River and eventually all the way down to the coast. The water contained white quartz crystals, and over time Clearwater’s stunning shores were born.

This Coastal Town Has The Whitest Sand Beaches In Mississippi

Why Does Clearwater’s Sand Squeak?

First timers to Clearwater may be surprised to find that it’s not as hard to hear a footstep in the sand as you might think. You won’t hear the familiar thud of a heavy-laden trod, but you will hear a high-pitched squeak. And it’s not a beach mouse! What you’re hearing is the rubbing together of individual quartz particles. As the round particles rub together, the air between the grains needs an escape. The high-pitched chirp is the sound of that air escaping and the mineral particles scratching each other.

Other White-Sand Beaches

If you fall in love with Clearwater’s stunning white-sand beaches but don’t want to return to the same place year after year, you can find the same stunning white quartz sand throughout Northwest Florida from Panama City Beach all the way to Pensacola Bay. That means each of 30A’s beaches, as well as popular vacation spots like Destin and Santa Rosa, are all fair game when you’re seeking a white-sand wonderland.