Renourishment rolls through Coquina, pushes to Longboat Pass

An extractor spews sand pumped from an offshore dredge onto the beach Nov. 4, while a bulldozer levels the ground between erosion control groins near the north entrance to Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach. David Ruderman, communications representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a funding source for the $17 million sand replenishment project, wrote The Islander Nov. 5 that Tropical Storm Eta could create delays and the expected completion date was extended to Nov. 20. Islander Photos: ChrisAnn Allen

Beachgoers gather Nov. 4 south of the barrier for a beach renourishment project, which started July 8 near 77th Street in Holmes Beach and will end at Longboat Pass. The $17 million project pumped sand from offshore to replenish eroded beaches. Originally slated to be completed Oct. 31, beach construction has faced multiple storm delays and is now expected to be completed Nov. 20. People can visit mymanatee.org and search for “beach renourishment updates” for more information about the project.

A bevy of birds lines up Nov. 4 along a barrier of sand created by a beach renourishment project, pumping sand via a barge, to restore eroded beaches. The birds feed on organisms living in the fresh sand, and the project has been a draw for a variety of shorebird species, according to Suzi Fox, Anna Maria Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring executive director. The $17 million undertaking started July 8 near 77th Street in Holmes Beach and is planned to end Nov. 20 at Longboat Pass.