Norriego Point is a place all locals and many visitors know and love. For those of us who are familiar, many of us hold special memories of this place near and dear to our hearts. It’s place where we can enjoy a peaceful walk, watch the fishing boats come in, watch the sun set over the water with that special someone, or teach the kids to swim; beautiful place where lifelong memories are made.
Over the years, Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on the point, starting back in 1995 with a near direct hit from Hurricane Opal, and with subsequent hurricanes and tropical storms thereafter. The city has just completed an emergency dredge project to open up the entrance to the harbor for safer boat traffic. Plans are underway at this time for a more permanent solution in the future. In the meantime, we must keep the harbor open, and the point stable and accessible for recreational beach goers and boaters alike, so that they may create their own memories of this beautiful place.
In order to keep Norriego Point beautiful, now and in the future, we must roll up our sleeves and help this place we all know and love. Every effort should be taken to help restore the natural habitat by adding vegetation and sand fencing to keep the newly placed sand firmly in place. The city is doing what we can, but we need the community’s assistance. On Saturday, May 12, beginning at 8 a.m., the city is sponsoring a major sea oat planting project. We are asking for donations to help in purchasing sea oats as well as volunteers to aid in installing 36,000 of them along Norriego Point. If you are unable to donate time on that day, any donation will be helpful.
This event is about restoring a place that we as a community hold dear, and as such we want to make this a fun project for everyone involved. Food and beverages will be provided for volunteers and the first 100 volunteers will receive a T-shirt showing your community support. Remember to bring sunscreen and a hat. Event sponsors will have their logo printed on event t-shirts, as well as on the banner which will be prominently displayed throughout the event. Anyone who is willing and able to help out should contact Joe Bodi at Destin City Hall at 837-4242
Donations can be sent to Destin City Hall, 4200 Indian Bayou Trail, Destin, FL 32541. Make checks payable to the City of Destin – Norriego Point Project.
We have been given a tremendous gift over the years and we can’t take it for granted. I look forward to seeing so many members of this world-class community out doing what we do best, coming together as a community for the greater good. I know that future generations will enjoy the fruit of our efforts.
Something will need to be done to protect the oats and dunes once they are planted. Will signs go up to tell people to stay out of that area? I was in the harbor a few years back and saw that some people had put a plastic liner down the dunes and had made it into a "slip-and-slide". I contacted FWC and they acted like they couldn't do anything, which is BS, as the dunes should be protected.
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