CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE, Fla. – The National Park Service says it will reopen part of Playalinda Beach and Canaveral National Seashore Tuesday after spending two months trying to restore the beach following hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
Visitors will be able to access Playalinda Beach parking areas and boardwalks at numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7. The rest of the road and beach north of parking area 7 is closed to visitors.
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“They’re doing a great job of rebuilding it and we’re so happy that they’re doing it,” Kristie Gregory visiting Playalinda from Port St. John said.
The National Park Service closed the beach in mid-November after the hurricanes damaged beach and dune resources. Pictures on the Canaveral National Seashore Facebook page showed the extent of the damage.
“Boardwalks were crushed. Dunes were pretty much washed over,” Henning said.
The NPS says more than half of the national seashore is still closed, as officials say there is large debris, and buried hazards, along with disturbed wildlife.
Henning said it’s unknown when the rest of the beach could reopen.
“Our maintenance staff have been out here since the day after Nicole when we were literally like mouth drop open, not even knowing where to start,” she said.
Henning said before a decision can be made about the lots north of area 7, water first has to stop encroaching onto the road.
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