Blue Heron Bridge

[joystershell]

Folks, don't know what is going on, but I just received this e-mail from a member of a local dive club.

Folks,
I was told by two of my colleagues from work today, that they heard on the news today that they were going to ban diving from the Blue Heron Bridge, and that they heard this, this morning on Channel 5. I am searching the news strips to see if I can confirm this. I will keep you posted.

So here is what I am going to do. I am drafting a letter to ask for a private meeting with Commissioner Karen Marcus, to find out what exactly is everyone’s problem with us diving there. I want to keep this as unthreatening as possible. A meet and greet.

We’ve been diving there for over 30 years before they decided to put in a 150 foot beach. If you have been there recently, you know that you are in for some harassment from either lifeguards refusing to let you enter the water-even if its to walk to the end of the beach area, or being accosted by water sheriffs in their boats giving out tickets for not having dive flags, or harassing you for anything they can come up with. I personally endured an incident recently that was ridiculous at best and quite unnerving- and I was completely within the correct limits and had a flag!

I am passionate about keeping this area open to divers, and I hope if need be, that I can count on your support.

If anyone else hears anything else about this-please let me know who said what and where you obtained the information.
. . . And if you know of any other good beach dive spots locally- I’d like to hear about those because I just dive the bridge. I am the original muck diver.
Thank you.
Suzan Meldonian


An update, from the originator of the the e-mail I posted earlier:
To all, Thank you for the wonderful networking power that you carry.

Wet Pixel has carried the progress from beginning to end on the Blue Heron petition etc. I actually went in and down loaded the PDFs of the attorney’s proposal and responses. I recommend reading it if you haven’t yet…Everything in there was very positive regarding preserving this location for divers… that was why I was so surprised to have people coming to me at work to say they’d heard divers were being banned… I did not see the news cast- and reacted out of sincere concern…. NOTEL the link that Joyce sent out – just confirms that we are all still ok and people only hear half of what is being said- so THANK YOU JOYCE!!!

If you haven’t read the initial proposal by the attorney Douglas Kahle, it simply is a work of art. It was so well written.
I recommend reading it. http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/blue-heron-bridge-is-now-protected/
He was backed by Stephen Frink, Ed Tichenor, Jim Abernathy & Pura Vida Divers and Eric Cheung, to name a few and those folks carry a lot of weight in this state.

However, there is still much work to be done to stop the harassment of divers by lifeguards and sheriffs and to ensure our little place under the sun… so I still sent an email to the county commissioner to ask for a meeting.

I am going to request that we are allowed to access the water close to the parking, and suggest that underwater single line buoys be placed to mark the perimeter, so that divers don’t accidentally end up in a boating channel. These won’t restrict the larger pelagics or manatees from going where they want to, and shouldn’t pose a threat to props, and will probably end up being new homes to seahorses!

If you have any other suggestions you’d like me to take with, please share your ideas.

Much like Pennecamp in the Keys, there is a way for boater, diver, and beach enthusiast to co-exist within a protected area. Please help us to accomplish this balance.

Thanks again.

 

[FLDVR]

Suzan, check all the facts first. I heard the report on 5 saying they wanted to ban the collection of marine life, not to ban diving.
I hope that I didnt miss the ban diving part but have a look and see

Let us know how it works out.
Henry

 

[DebbyDiver]

Don't go fishing for exotic fish in Riviera Beach West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Treasure Coast local news, weather, live radar, investigative from Newschannel 5 | WPTV.com


RIVIERA BEACH, FL -- If you take exotic fish from under the Blue Heron Bridge, you could soon get into big trouble.

Palm Beach County plans to post signs warning people that swiping tropical fish for personal use is against the law.

The county is also asking the sheriff's office and parks department to enforce the rule.

The waters under the Blue Heron Bridge at Phil Foster Park are a favorite spot with scuba divers.

They say the enforcement will help preserve the unique location.

 

[Divergirl4U]

It is a unique location and should be preserved.

Not banned

 

[Reef_Haven]

Some members from CENTRAL FLORIDA SCUBA GROUP will be diving there tomorrow. Will post a report.
I have always been treated really well by the Life Guards there.

As for other local shore dives, I prefer the reefs just North of Breakers Hotel. The third reef is the best.

 

[Selrahc]

I have yet to dive there and will be going there tomorrow. I hear it is nice because of the variety of marine life that can be found there, and its sad people try to take fish from the area.

I wonder though, can you FISH from the pier? If so isn't that basically "taking" fish from the same area? (Unless its a catch and release policy of course). Thankfully, I'm not much for catching fish or bugs.

Personally, you SHOULD have a dive marker if you are diving there. Besides being the law, it's just good common sense! I hear taking a boat to the head can make for a very bad day...... LOL

 

[joystershell]

Another update on the situation at the bridge, e-mailed from the same individual:

Ok- here’s the real scoop. Thursday Channel 5 WPTV did a 2 second piece on the fact that an ordinance had been passed that tropicals will no longer be allowed to be taken from the bridge- which is as a result of the petition we all signed…. As it turns out, it was Phil Rudin that was interviewed! (he’s the President of the South Florida Underwater Photography Society), who was there diving with his grandchildren.

However he spoke with the Park Ranger, who still hasn’t been told anything…

BREAKING NEWS! >>>>> ! ! ! Please read this…

But, today, Phil says that a part of the bridge has fallen down. He says it’s a block of cement probably weighing over 1 ton. Its not fractured- but one gigantic slab. It has fallen down on the south west side (or the first swim through close to the wall.) He says upon further inspection it looks like another piece is about to go and if it lands on a diver its going to kill someone. Phil says he has called a number of authorities to report this & it looks like no one is planning to respond until Monday… so if you are planning to dive the bridge on Sunday- please beware and avoid this area like the plague!

Phil says he hates to be the bearer of bad tidings, but most likely the bridge will have to be closed because this is very serious. I personally spoke with Phil today- Suzan Meldonian.

 

[Reef_Haven]

It has fallen down on the south west side (or the first swim through close to the wall.) He says upon further inspection it looks like another piece is about to go and if it lands on a diver its going to kill someone.

That would be the area where the fishing pier attaches to shore?
We'll be diving the East bridge first and then the West. I'll make sure our group and any other divers in the area knows to avoid that area of the fishing bridge.

Thanks for the update.,

 

[joystershell]

Here's amother e-mail, updating the bridge conditions:

Regarding the block of cement that has fallen down at the Blue Heron Bridge… it is located in the third section "swim-through" from the wall on the south side and is quite massive. So from the wall, hardly anyone goes through the first space as it’s too shallow and really dark. The next section is interesting, but I see old fallen cement there. The next partition ( and I am using the pillars as the markers for each section) is much wider and is apparently where this portion the size of a cement lamppost has broken away.
GOOD NEWS!
The Department of Transportation is aware of the issue. They are on it! They have contacted the emergency maintenance crew whom has been out to assess the damage 3-4 times since Sunday. They already tried to break away the next section that has separated, but it did not fall with their efforts. They have determined that heavier equipment is necessary to absolutely ensure safety. This is great news because it means protection of the bridge. Their immediate resolution is to purposely drop any potentially unsafe cement that is breaking away... They have assured us that this is a top priority. For the time being bridge divers should not dive through but if need to go through, swim through at the surface, so they can view any immediate hazard, but better still avoid swim through altogether for the time being until loose fragments are secure.

Those who've seen the cement block agree that if another piece falls down, you wouldn't know what hit you. Keep in mind, you don't have to go "through" the bridge to get a dive in... for the last 4 weeks I haven't even been able to get over there as busy looking at the wrecks and what not... so, don't spoil your weekend just because "the bridge is falling down."

In meantime, the bridge has already been scheduled for serious maintenance/repair in January. I will keep everyone posted as I obtain more information.

Suzan
Regarding the block of cement that has fallen down at the Blue Heron Bridge… it is located in the third section "swim-through" from the wall on the south side and is quite massive. So from the wall, hardly anyone goes through the first space as it’s too shallow and really dark. The next section is interesting, but I see old fallen cement there. The next partition ( and I am using the pillars as the markers for each section) is much wider and is apparently where this portion the size of a cement lamppost has broken away.
GOOD NEWS!
The Department of Transportation is aware of the issue. They are on it! They have contacted the emergency maintenance crew whom has been out to assess the damage 3-4 times since Sunday. They already tried to break away the next section that has separated, but it did not fall with their efforts. They have determined that heavier equipment is necessary to absolutely ensure safety. This is great news because it means protection of the bridge. Their immediate resolution is to purposely drop any potentially unsafe cement that is breaking away... They have assured us that this is a top priority. For the time being bridge divers should not dive through but if need to go through, swim through at the surface, so they can view any immediate hazard, but better still avoid swim through altogether for the time being until loose fragments are secure.

Those who've seen the cement block agree that if another piece falls down, you wouldn't know what hit you. Keep in mind, you don't have to go "through" the bridge to get a dive in... for the last 4 weeks I haven't even been able to get over there as busy looking at the wrecks and what not... so, don't spoil your weekend just because "the bridge is falling down."

In meantime, the bridge has already been scheduled for serious maintenance/repair in January. I will keep everyone posted as I obtain more information.

 

[Reef_Haven]

This weekend would be a great time to dive it at night. High tide is around 7:30 PM. The park closes at 10:00 PM