Summer or not, beach renourishment must go on in Caswell Beach

Caswell Beach is under construction. Although this may not seem like the ideal time for beach nourishment, steps are being taken to make sure this does not cause too much of a disruption.

Town Administrator Chad Hicks says extreme shoaling in the shipping channel between Caswell Beach and Bald Head Island was causing ships to run aground and action needed to be taken.

Crews are blocking off about a 1,000 feet of beach at a time so vacationers and residents can still enjoy the rest of the beach.

Since it is sea turtle nesting season, Caswell Beach Turtle Watch have moved nests out of the way and are making sure other turtles don’t create nests in affected areas.

“We actually monitor the beach from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., we have two monitors on the beach with the crew watching the pipeline, watching the area just to make sure there’s no turtles coming in” Susan Holbrooks, Caswell Beach Turtle Watch, said.

Holbrooks went on to say that bringing more sand on the beach and making it wider will give turtles more area to lay eggs and prevent nests from being washed away.

Now, Hicks says the dredging is moving along well and crews are expected to be finished with Caswell Beach and move along to Oak Island by June 19.