Sunset Beach Florida

Gulf Beach News

Canal To Cut Off Sunset Beach
Construction to start soon.

(T I Beach Bums 2003)

Federal Officials have announced that the Army Corp. of Engineers and the Coast Guard are planning to dig a canal which would cut through the north end of Sunset Beach, connecting Blind Pass with the Gulf of Mexico. After a two year study of Blind Pass, it has been determined that it would cost less to cut a canal through Sunset Beach then the expense of constantly dredging the mouth of Blind Pass.

The canal will be cut through Sunset Beach starting from the Blind Pass side at the end of 95th Ave. The canal would then follow 95th Ave, west to the Gulf approximately where Beach Nutts now stands.
Map of Sunset Beach Florida

The canal will be wide enough to handle a proposed gambling ship which would be moored at the former Mulligans Bar and Grill. The ship named Miss Guided, is currently used as a ferry in Bangladesh. If the ship does not sink before the completion of the canal it will take two daily cruises into the international waters of the Gulf and hopefully return. We were able to acquire a telephone number for the ownership group. However, when we called that number a foreign speaking gentleman answered the phone claiming the number was for a 7-11 in Valdosta, Georgia.

The biggest impact on Sunset Beach residents will be the fact that Sunset Beach will now become a island unto itself. The canal will cut across the north end of Sunset Beach and the remnants of Blind Pass will be on the south end of the beach. Federal regulations will prohibit any foot or vehicle travel across the old mouth of Blind Pass. The only possible entrance/exit to Sunset Beach would be a bridge across the canal.

City officials have proposed a draw bridge to be named the Freon Leon Bridge. The Coast Guard, however, is now demanding that any bridge over the canal must be a fixed span bridge high enough to accommodate ships as large as the Miss Guided. If a fixed span bridge is built it would be higher than the current Land Development Regulations passed in the last election. If a bridge is to be built, more than 50% of the registered voters on Treasure Island would have to participate and vote for the change in the LDR's. I spoke with several Treasure Island residents and asked if they would vote for a change in the LDR's in order to build a bridge to
Sunset Beach and the answer was "Fat chance." In other words, Sunset Beach residents whom fought so hard to retain the LDR's will now have to live on an island that will not be accessible by land.

Seizing on the possibility that Sunset Beach residents may be stranded, a group of French and German investors are proposing a ferry service from Captain Kosmakos restaurant parking lot to the old Mulligans dock. The investors have purchased an older ship and plan to refurbish the craft and name it the White Flag.
Sunset Beach Florida Ferry

The ship would make runs back and forth between Captain K's and Mulligans on the half hour until nightfall when the French crawl back into their hole.Outraged Sunset Beach residents have begun a petition drive to change the Land Development Regulations they changed last month. The petition drive is not going well. Some of the original signers of the petition last fall have now moved out of the country while others have had their probation revoked. A save Sunset Beach rally is planned for this weekend at the County Jail.

Stay tuned to T I Beach Bums for updates on this developing story.