Cold at the beach and northside improvements update

The winter has definitely set in we have frozen back   bays, tributaries, ice moving up and down the Lewes canal, and the beach is all but frozen solid.  The ice will clear out in a few days when it warms up but this serious temperature drop with below zero wind chills has certainly reminded us that winter is here to stay.   The seventy degree Sunday teaser we had last week was just mean of mother nature.  Nothing like getting your hopes up for spring and summer.  Some folks did try their luck at surf fishing that day despite the ridiculous winds.  We have had gale force winds for the past 4 days.  Then the other day the temperatures plummeted and it was so cold the ocean was hardly moving.   ice has definitely put a damper on any fresh water pond fishing and many are hoping that will melt away for access, or the exact opposite and freeze thick enough for some ice fishing.   I have a friend who has all the gear for ice fishing and we are actually looking forward to using it this year.  Hope he doesn’t mind me bringing a surf rod.  The Indian River Inlet north side campground improvements are coming along nicely.  It is starting to look more like a campground and less like a construction site.  It is hardly recognizable.  There are sidewalks, new rails, gazebos that will have roofs on them, and a playground for the kids.  It will definitely be ready for the spring and summer season of 2015, with new bath facilities.  I have pictures in this gallery of many of the improvements.   No images found.

The sand bypass system has been pumping sand from the south side of the north side all week.  Unfortunately the pipe is far up on the beach.  That needs to be put into the water so it can create sandbars, that will in turn create a better shore break.  That not only will be good for surfers and structure for fishing, but it will also calm the storm surge down.  The powers that be seem to be convinced that by pumping sand on the beach it will build up and better protect the bridge.  The fact is if you don’t calm those waves down before they hit the beach, it doesn’t matter how much sand you have piled up it will not protect that area as well as sandbars.  Also the beach is getting steeper and steeper which is making it dangerous for swimmers and surfers.  Granted it is too cold to swim, but this time of year there are a lot of surfers out there.  In the summertime the swimmers who come here are not aware of the dangers created by our steep beaches.  Hopefully in time the pipe will be moved into the water and create much needed sandbars off the shoreline.

Fish On!!

Rich King