Breaking: All County Beaches Under "Health Advisory"

Effective immediately, the Escambia County Department of Health has issued a "health advisory" warning the public that all Gulf-side beaches in Escambia County present health risks due to the "extensive presence of oil sheen, oil mousse and tar balls" and they should be avoided.

The new, expanded advisory includes all county beaches east of the fishing pier, including Casino Beach, the beach across the road from the five Portofino towers, county Beach East, and all beachfront to the Santa Rosa County line. Previous advisories included only a small section of beach west of the fishing pier and at the "Ft. Pickens Gate" picnic park at the western end of Pensacola Beach.

Beaches inside the Gulf Islands National Seashore areas at Opal Beach and Ft. Pickens on the western end of the island are under a similar health advisory. Gulf Islands National Seashore has a recorded information hotline for current oil spill conditions: 850-916-5658.

Beach Roads Re-do Redux

Repair work to reopen the Opal Beach road to Pensacola Beach began earlier this month. Today, the News Journal reports reconstruction of the road to Fort Pickens on the west end of Pensacola Beach "likely will begin in mid-November."

We've heard this before, of course. Gulf Islands National Park superintendent Jerry Eubanks has the luck of John McCain's economic plan writers. Every time he announces repairs will start at last, another storm comes along or the plovers decide to nest -- and he has to change plans again.

The west and the east end roads from Pensacola Beach were torn up, first, by hurricanes Ivan (2004) and then Hurricane Dennis (2005). Even Hurricane Ike (2008) over-washed much of Ft. Pickens Road.

The incomparable Barrier Island Girl has been building a fascinating photographic archive of the island roads au naturel as Mother Nature has its way with them. Ft. Pickens photos are here. Bowden Way photos on the eastern leg to Opal Beach are here.

Paradise Road Postponed

Reconstruction work on the Gulf-front road from Pensacola Beach to the Gulf Islands National Seashore park known as Opal Beach has been postponed.

Because of shore bird nesting and sea turtle season, construction will not resume until early Fall. As they used to say in Vaudeville, "some dirty pigeon stooled on us."

The road, which formerly connected Pensacola Beach with Navarre Beach, was 'Ivanized' in 2004. The eastern half from Opal Beach to Navarre Beach re-opened last month.

The western half of the highway won't become usable until very late this year or early next.

Half of Navarre Beach Road To Open May 9

The eastern half of Highway 399 linking Navarre Beach to Opal Beach will reopen May 9, according to the Daily News of Fort Walton Beach. Gulf Islands Park superintendent Jerry Eubanks says "it's not the new, first-class road some people might expect."

Work continues on the western half of the water front road that leads to Pensacola Beach. Eubanks is predicting that stretch of highway "could be" reopened by summer.

Repairs to the Opal Beach picnic and swimming facility, midway between Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach, are not yet finished. Port-a-potties will be in place, however, along with a few picnic tables.

The highway and popular Opal Beach facility were devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.