In mid-July, in the vast waters of the Norwegian Sea, two ships collided, loosing 12 massive sections of pipe into the water. No one was hurt, but the pipes scattered. Some were salvaged, while others drifted away. Last week, they began washing up on the beaches of Norfolk, England.

The pipes were apparently headed for power and desalination projects in Algeria, and are extremely largenearly eight feet in diameter, with the longest around 1,570 feet in length. A video from The Guardian gives you a sense of the scale here:

The plastic pipes were created by a Norwegian firm called Pipelife, which has told beachgoers not to approach the pipes or climb on top of them, lest they be crushed. This hasnt deterred the curious, as recent aerial footage showed two men walking on top of one of the pipes, as others took selfies, The Guardian reported. A salvage operation is currently under way to tow the pipes back to Norway.

It is essential now that the salvage team fence off the pipes, Trygve Blomster, a manager at Pipelife, told The Guardian. If a 2.5-meter diameter pipe, several hundred-meter long pipe is moving in the water it is extremely dangerous. If you fall beside that while it moved you will be smashed.

Its quite the sight, but keep your distance.

See the rest here:

Massive Pipes Have Washed Up on English Beaches - Atlas Obscura

Maines Beaches Are Bouncing Back But Researchers Cant Predict For How Long

The beaches of southern Maine are bouncing back ten years after a St. Patricks Day storm took a bite out of coastal communities and after other storms and a prolonged rise in sea levels in 2010 that caused even more erosion.

In the latest installment of Beyond 350: Confronting Climate Change, the future outline of these same beaches is unlikely to remain the same.

If you spend some time on the beach in Maine this summer, you might see David Cavagnaro stepping along the dune edges, wielding what looks like a long spear topped by a cylinder the size of a smoke alarm.

Cavagnaro is an intern for Maine Geological Survey marine geologist Peter Slovinsky, who uses GPS and depth-measuring systems to map the topography on and just off Western Beach in Scarborough. Its part of an ongoing study of beach erosion and accretion along all of southern Maines coastline.

Slovinskys been mapping Maines beaches for more than a decade. In 2007 he documented the aftermath of the enormous St. Patricks Day storm, which caused millions of dollars in property damage. And in 2010 the beaches took a more sustained hit: That year, when sea levels in the Gulf of Maine were unusually high, a series of noreasters marched up the coast, several right at or near high tide.

So back in 2010 a unique set of conditions resulted in sea levels along the Maine coastline that were anywhere from 5 to 8 inches higher than normal for a period of months. So you combine the storms on top of it and you end up with very, very erosive events, Slovinsky says.

The worst in 50 years, according to longtime area residents. And that includes Western Beach, where a seaside golf course was threatened and habitat for at-risk species such as least tern and piping plover was wiped out.

I mean there was basically no dune, and a couple of their greens were getting eaten away. There was no habitat. There was zero habitat in 2010, Slovinsky says.

The picture is different now. Theres a hundred feet of dry sand between the golfers and the sea. And a portion of the beach has been staked out to keep people and dogs away from nests where tern and plovers have returned in healthy numbers.

Thats in part thanks to a multimillion dollar beach nourishment project undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Two years ago, sand dredged from the Scarborough River was placed on Western Beach and shaped to approximate the beachs earlier profile.

Elsewhere on the coast, natural processes have slowly rebuilt many of the damaged beaches.

In general, considering how erosive 2010 was due to a variety of causes, the majority of Maines beaches have recovered pretty well, Slovinsky says.

Every two years, he publishes a State of Maines Beaches report, and the new edition assigns them an overall grade of C - satisfactory. Slovinsky adds that beaches are dynamic systems, with accretion here, erosion there subject, sometimes, to the influence of man-made structures.

The 19th-century jetty at Camp Ellis, for instance, blocks sand from the Saco River from reaching the nearest beaches.

Ferry Beach and Ellis Beach down in Saco, typically a lot of erosion occurs down there. And then on the converse side to that, right across the jetty here over at Pine Point and East Grand beach are some of the best performing profiles, Slovinsky says.

And while the overall news is good, it might not last very long. Slovinsky says the Gulf of Maines average sea level could rise 1-6 feet or more in the next century an effect of climate change thats likely to be accompanied by more frequent and more intense storms.

All of the above. It doesnt take much for conditions to align again to have an erosive event. All it takes is one or two noreasters in the winter season, he says.

Theres no question about there being a sea-level rise here, absolutely no question. But I have to deal with it, says Graham Chase, whose home is maybe a mile from Western Beach. I put a garden in for my parents up behind the house. And we face the marsh on the backside here, and it never flooded once when my parents were alive, and now I get ten inches water on it just about every time theres a new moon. So thisll probably turn into an island or disappear.

Slovinsky says that is a possibility. Shoreline dunes can provide a good first line of defense for houses facing the open ocean, he says, and marshes can dissipate flood waters to some degree.

But low-lying roads, houses such as Chases and other structures theres a wastewater treatment plant nearby will continue to be threatened.

See more here:

Maine's Beaches Are Bouncing Back But Researchers Can't Predict For How Long - Maine Public

By Amanda Bernocco

The Southampton Town Parks Department closed four oceanside beaches to swimming on Monday following a shark sighting, according to officials.

Southampton Town Parks Director Kristen Doulos said that unusually large fish were spotted close to the shore, prompting the closing of four beaches: Sagg Main, Mecox, Scott Cameron and Flying Point.

I cant confirm that they were sharks, but the chief lifeguard [Sean Crowley] felt strongly enough that it was worth taking a precaution over, Ms. Doulos said. Potentially large sharks or large fish, 6- to- 7-feet.

The first sighting was at Sagg Main at about 2:30 p.m. and within the hour the three other beaches were closed due to similar sightings, Ms. Doulos said.

Matt Feldman, a Hampton Bays resident and a lifeguard at Water Mill Beach Club, which is situated on the same strip of beaches, said that he saw several large fish close to shore on Monday, including what appeared to be dolphins, blue fish, bunker, striped bass and what he identified as a possible shortfin mako shark.

Ive never seen very large sharks and bait so close to shore like that, Mr. Feldman said, noting that he is also a fisherman.

Mr. Feldman said there were about five to seven people in the water at the time of the sighting and he quickly helped get everyone out of the water safely.

Swimmers are expected to be allowed back in the water on Tuesday. Lifeguards will certainly be keeping an extra eye out, Ms. Doulos said.

Down the beach, Rachel Collins, a Chicago resident who is visiting Southampton, said she heard lifeguards pulling swimmers out of the water and warning of possible sharks on Monday afternoon at Flying Point Beach.

She said that she was both happy to see how quickly the lifeguards responded and to see with her own eyes how well the ecosystem is doing.

I thought it was cool in the last few days I saw dolphins, whales, tuna jumping, Ms. Collins said. Its nice to see that the wildlife in the ocean is still doing well.

Read more:

Possible Shark Sighting Causes Four Southampton Beaches To Close To Swimmers On Monday - 27east.com

The ongoing problem of marine plastic pollution on Cornish beaches is displayed in a rainbow of colours at a new exhibition which opened earlier this week.

From mermaid's tails to Lego dragons, 'Bizarre Beachcombing' is a collection of all manner of strange objects lost at sea and washed ashore on the coastline of Cornwall.

Put together by the Friends of Portheras Cove and Centre of Pendeen community centre over the last 12 months, the free exhibition runs until August 15, 2017, and catalogues local shipwrecks and wildlife, as well as the colourful beachcombing discoveries.

Though some items that have washed up on the beaches are unique, such as a ceramic head made by a local artist, most of the objects are notable for their quantity rather than their individuality, thus highlighting the scale of the problem. In many cases, this is because they have originated from a container spill at sea.

Perhaps the most well-known example within the Cornish beachcombing community of such a spill is the one which cast millions of Lego pieces adrift.

Read more: The 50 best beaches in Cornwall to visit this summer

In February 1997 a ship called the Tokio Express lost 62 containers into the sea when it was hit by a freak wave off the coast of Cornwall. One of the containers was packed with approximately 4.8 million pieces of Lego, which, 20 years later, are still washing up on Cornish beaches.

Many of the exhibits in Bizarre Beachcombing have been collected and arranged by Delia Webb from Friends of Portheras Cove, who runs the Facebook page 'Beachcombing's Bizarre and Beautiful'.

Delia highlights another beachcleaner in the exhibition whose discoveries have gone viral on social media, Michelle Costello from Illogan, who runs Smartie-lids-on-the-Beach.

"I have been cleaning beaches for three years, removing huge amounts of washed up plastic items and rope from our beautiful beaches. Amongst the plastic on the tide line I often find micro-plastic, Lego, soldiers, lost vintage toys and Smarties lids."

Smarties lids are still found on beaches in Cornwall despite not being on sale after the packaging changed in 2005. Lids can be dated before or after 1990 depending on the branding, after Rowntree were bought by Nestle. A glass jar in the exhibition holds enough letters found on local beaches to write a story, or spell out the alphabet several times over.

Whereas Smarties lids and Lego are treasured finds for beachcombing enthusiasts, general plastic bottle tops are abundant on our beaches. This was highlighted two years ago when over 65,000 bottle tops were collected in just three months in Cornwall.

The plastic tops were threaded together by marine conservationist Dave Smethurst, to form a chain measuring over 1.1km.

Read more: Angry people in St Erth kick up stink over sewage pong with protest in biohazard suits

Before the beaches became littered with marine plastic, Cornwall had a rich history in bizarre objects washing up from the many shipwrecks around the coastline.

Thankfully, wrecks are a rare occurrence these days, but fragments from these lost ships can still be found on our beaches.

Some of the more interesting items that have been salvaged from shipwrecks local to the exhibition are on display, including a ship's telegraph from The Liberty, a steamship which hit the rocks below Pendeen lighthouse on January 17, 1952.

However, one of least colourful, least historical and least collectable objects on display at the exhibition is also one of the biggest problems on beaches in Cornwall, and across the globe.

Known by many marine conservations as mermaid's tears, nurdles are tiny resin pellets that are used in the manufacturing of plastic.

On one day in February this year, around 127,500 nurdles were collected from a 100-metre stretch of Widemouth Bay in Cornwall.

The Bizarre Beachcombing exhibition runs until August 15 at Centre of Pendeen community centre and admission is free.

Read more from the original source:

These are the bizarre objects that keep washing up on Cornish beaches - Cornwall Live

LAGUNA BEACH A pregnancy test, bras, underwear and cigarette butts were among the 400 pounds of trash collected this weekend at popular South County beaches.

More than 100 people turned out Saturday, Aug. 12 to remove trash from Thousands Steps Beach, West Street Beach and Tablerock Beach. They also gathered litter along South Coast Highway between 9th Street and Three Arch Bay and in neighborhood bushes along Bluff Drive. Volunteers came from across Orange County and as far away as Los Angeles and New York,said James Pribram, founder of ECO-Warrior Foundation.

Tabatha Yewchuk, left, and Carol Clark, both of Laguna Beach, pick up trash on West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017. The event was organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Finnegan Coghill, 5, of Laguna Beach, plays with a trash picker after joining his sister Isabelle, 8, and mom Molly, at right, pick up trash on West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017. The event was organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Scott Betty, of Laguna Niguel, picks up trash on West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017, an event organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Saya Snyder, 8, of Laguna Beach, picks up trash on the bluff above West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017, an event organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Piles of trash are piled up during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup at West Street Beach in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017, an event organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Molly Coghill, of Laguna Beach, helps her kids Finnegan, 5, and Isabelle, 8, pick up trash on the bluffs above West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017, an event organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tabatha Yewchuk picks up trash on West Street Beach during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017. The event was organized by realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Realtor Chris Tebutt and ECO Warriors team up during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A small baby didnt keep these young parents from helping pick up trash during the second annual South Laguna Beach Cleanup where nearly 200 volunteers scoured West Street Beach in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, August 12, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The second annual South Laguna cleanup was organized by Chris Tebbutt, a local real estate agent in partnership with ECO Warrior. The event focused on the South Laguna beaches that have been hit hard in recent monthswith increasing visitors and trash. City officials say social media has turned these formerly locals-only beaches into must-see hot spots for Southern Californians.

The beaches in South Laguna are a disaster, Pribram said. There is litter everywhere.

Eco-Warrior provided collection bags, gloves and data sheets so volunteers could keep track of what and how much they collected. This data is critical for the environmental foundation to understand what kinds of trash are having the biggest impact on the beaches, he said.

Tebbutt said he partnered with ECO Warrior because of Pribrams passion and no-nonsense approach for the coastal environment.

ECO-Warrior Foundation is all about creating awareness, inspiring people to make a difference, and giving them opportunities to take action, Tebbutt said.

Pribram, a professional surfer who grew up in Laguna Beach, created ECO-Warrior in 2006. The foundation works directly with communities, both locally and internationally, that want to create a positive and lasting change in the environment. This year, volunteers with ECO-Warrior have removed 1,200 pounds of trash from Lagunas beaches, Pribram said.

He pointed to an influx of visitors and over-filled trash cans as part of the problem. Those trash cans also draw seagulls that carry the trash and drop it across the beach and along the cliffs, he said.

Pribram said he sees a lack of respect for the environment.

It seems to have crept into our culture that people litter more, he said. Theres a generation or two of people who care but theres a lot of people who feel entitled and are just lazy. Just because its not your litter, doesnt mean you should just walk past it. We can all do our part and remove litter.

Pribram said that 70 percent of the volunteers at the cleanup were from cities outside Laguna.

It sends an important message, even if its not your beach, your park or your mountain, its all about helping the global community, he said.

Upcoming ECO Warrior cleanups

Aug. 18:ECO-Warrior Foundation along with the Ocean Conservancy will host its 4th annual corporate beach clean up at Doheny State Park with Cox Communications and the Auto Trader. This event is private.

Sept. 16: Coastal Clean-up Day at Aliso Beach from 9 a.m. to noon. Chronic Tacos will supply food.

Follow this link:

Pregnancy test, intimate apparel among unusual items found during South Laguna beach cleanup - OCRegister

LOWER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Police say a boater traveling to Texas became confused and beached his boat on the New Jersey shore.

NJ.com reports (http://bit.ly/2w32DK4 ) Lower Township police responded to a stranded sailboat around 11 p.m. Friday. Corporal Robert Hartman says 67-year-old James DeGarmo was sailing to Texas when he got lost in the dark and beached his boat.

Hartman says DeGarmo was also suffering from an unrelated medical issue when authorities found him. DeGarmo was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Public works officials towed the boat out of the water during low tide on Saturday.

___

Information from: NJ Advance Media.

Published: August 14, 2017 6:18 AM EDT

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Man sailing to Texas beaches boat on New Jersey shore - Philly.com

The monthly water level average for July 2017 in Lake Michigan was the highest recorded since October 1997.

Deb Thompsons eight mile runs on the Laketown Beach are getting tougher.

This is because the water level of Lake Michigan is rising and is leaving less beach to run on, Thompson said.

Thompson, a resident of Holland for the past three years, is right. Lake Michigan beaches are shrinking and water levels in the Great Lakes are on the rise.

The monthly water level average for July 2017 in Lake Michigan was the highest recorded since October 1997, according to data from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

The laboratory measures Lake Michigan and Lake Huron as one unit.

Lake Michigan water levels hit a record low of 576.02 feet in January 2013, but have been above average since July 2014.

"For me I always run right along the water line anyway and today it's fairly calm, Thompson said. But days where the water is really rough, it's hard because you are running against these crashing waves and you don't have much beach to run on.

Thompson isnt the only one feeling the effects of the rising waters of Lake Michigan in the Holland area.

Holland State Park Supervisor Sean Mulligan said the crews from the state had to re-locate a deck used to help people with disabilities access the water.

The sand underneath the deck was being washed away due to high water levels. Life ring stations also had to be moved further inland due to rising water.

"The water is coming up higher and it's actually eroded away the beach further up than usual, Mulligan said. We've got little drop offs now instead of smooth transition from the beach into the water."

Sidewalk flooding is an issue when the water gets rough because it is coming over the walls of the channel between Lake Michigan and Macatawa Bay at the state park due to high water.

Because of the state parks extensive beach, Mulligan said the impacts havent really been felt by visitors. Maintenance issues due to rising waters are the biggest problem, he said.

Bob Reichel, a parks operations manager for Ottawa County Parks, has been taking care of the countys lakeshore parks since the last time water levels were well above average in 1997.

Some Ottawa County beaches arent as large as the one at Holland State Park and Reichel said most of the beaches he manages have lost somewhere between 100 feet to 150 feet of dry sand due to rising water levels.

We've lost that much sand area and our beach area is very limited now, especially compared to what it has been in past years when we had lower lake levels, Reichel said.

Another impact of the rising water levels is the washing up of eroded dune grass on beaches in Ottawa County.

Reichel said high waters have also washed up other debris, such as pieces of deck and large tree trunks, onto Ottawa County beaches.

The beaches, which have lost the most dry sand are Kirk Park in West Olive and Rosy Mound Natural Area in Grand Haven, Reichel said.

Al Meshkin, Laketown Township manager, agreed with Thompson that Laketown Beach is another area hit hard by rising water.

"My understanding is there's not much beach left, Meshkin said. The water level is pretty high and the water levels fluctuate all the time. Right now we are going through a very high water level time."

Drew Gronewold, a hydrologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, said high water levels in the late summer months are part of a seasonal process.

Water levels in the Great Lakes normally rise in the spring as snow melts, peak in August or July and then decrease in November and October as water evaporates from the lakes at a high rate. Water levels usually hit a low for the year in the winter months.

If that process continued with average snowfall, average runoff in the spring and average evaporation in the fall then water levels would stay around the same level, Gronwold said.

Since early 2013 precipitation in the Great Lakes region has been above average and evaporation has been below average. Gronewold said this is the cause behind the increase in water levels since 2013.

Really the story is since then, over the past couple years it has been very wet and the precipitation has been above average and water levels have been high as well, Gronewold said.

This process has caused the increase of water levels not only in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, but all the Great Lakes.Lake Ontarios June 2017 monthly water level average was higher than any monthly average recorded for the lake since 1918.Lake Eries monthly water level average for June 2017 was the highest recorded since April 1998.Lake Superiors July 2017 monthly water level average was the highest recorded since September 1996.

"There is part of a larger story here that all the lakes are all very high right now and not just because its summer time, Gronewold said. They are high for even this time of year relative to the long term average."

Gronewold said the rise of water levels in the Great Lakes can be associated with a natural, cyclical process as well as human impact.One example of human impact on water levels is the dredging of channels between lakes to make sure large ships can pass through.Although the impacts of dredging are minor, Gronewold said dredging allows more water to flow through channels thus changing the water levels of the lakes.

Diversion of water in and out of the Great Lakes also has an impact on water levels. Gronewold said water is diverted out of Lake Michigan near Chicago.The outflow of water in Lake Ontario and Lake Superior are also controlled and regulated.The impacts of dredging, diversion of water and controlling the outflow of some of the Great Lakes are relatively small compared to real drivers of water level changes, Gronwold said.

The natural hydrologic cycle, climate change and climate variability are what really impact water levels in the Great Lakes on a large scale, Gronewold said.

As water levels in the Great Lakes are at the highest levels in about a decade, questions still remain about how much impact humans are having.

"There's still the question of how much of the changes we are seeing are due to human induced climate change and that's something we still are doing research on, Gronewold said.

Follow this reporter on Twitter @SentinelJake.

Go here to see the original:

Water levels rising in Great Lakes, effects felt at Holland-area beaches - HollandSentinel.com

(1 of ) Ashley Brown of the Sonoma County department of Health Services staples a precaution notice alerting visitors to positive test results for a potentially dangerous naturally occurring neurotoxin, Anatoxin-a, linked to harmful type of blue-green algae, Wednesday July 27, 2017 at Healdsburg Memorial Beach, (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2017

MARY CALLAHAN

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | August 10, 2017, 5:17PM

The Russian River tested clean this week for a toxin related to blue-green algae that prompted cautionary signs at 10 popular beaches last month and in each of the past two summers.

The river remains open to swimming and other recreation. But warning signs urging visitors to avoid ingesting river water will remain at 10 popular beaches between Cloverdale and the river mouth as a precaution against exposure to the neurotoxin involved, the Sonoma County Department of Health Services said.

The weekly sampling suggests the threat, already minimal, could be diminishing. But precautions can only be lifted after several weeks pass without detection of the neurotoxin called anatoxin-a, county health personnel said.

State guidelines developed for static bodies of water like lakes require at least two weeks of negative test results for blue-green algae, formally called cyanobacteria, before the signs can come down, Sonoma County Health Officer Karen Milman said Thursday.

In a long swath of water with a moving current, theres greater potential for harmful blue-green algae to relocate and be present in an area that hasnt been tested, indicating a more conservative approach may be prudent.

In addition, county environmental health personnel monitoring the Russian River have seen growth of blue-green algae that still could release toxins at some point, as well as filamentous green algae in which cyanobacteria can intermix, Milman said.

Besides testing, we want to take into account other things, she said.

County environmental health personnel posted the caution signs July 27 after routine testing of river samples revealed very low levels of anatoxin-a, a potentially dangerous substance naturally produced by certain kinds of blue-green algae, which have proliferated in fresh water lakes, ponds and streams around California and the rest of the planet in recent years.

Anatoxin-a attacks the nervous system, causing symptoms that may include staggering, fatigue, convulsions, paralysis or even death.

Dogs and small children are particularly susceptible, given their size and potential for ingesting contaminated water. Studies indicate the odor of blue-green algae actually attracts dogs, who may eat it.

Two dogs died after frolicking in the Russian River near Healdsburg in 2015 at the height of Californias historic drought prompting widespread awareness of the potential for harmful algae blooms in warm, slow-moving water.

But after plentiful rain this past winter, water quality officials say, abundant runoff could have increased concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous and other substances from fertilizer and other sources that feed toxic algae blooms.

The levels of anatoxin-a detected first at Cloverdale River Park Beach, Del Rio Woods Beach in Healdsburg and Patterson Point beach, located just downstream of Monte Rio, were extremely low, averaging 0.15 micrograms of toxin per liter of water.

Warnings against swimming and other water recreation arent required until at least 20 micrograms per liter is present.

But the state requires public notifications even when the smallest concentrations of anatoxin-a are present and a beach remains open to recreation, which has been the case with the Russian River in recent weeks.

Health officials urge visitors to avoid algae in the water and refrain from drinking, cooking with or washing dishes with river water. In addition, they advise bathing after exposure to river water, monitoring children closely and preventing dogs and other animals from drinking river water or eating algae scums.

Here is the original post:

Blue-green algae-related toxin warnings remain at Russian River beaches - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

The large number of cigarette butts on Greek beaches and streets is causing grave concern among people who want to protect the environment and their health.

At a beach in a southern suburb of Athens, many holiday-makers were seen smoking while enjoying the sea and the sunshine.

Some of them left cigarette butts on the beach after smoking. As a result, they dotted the beach as far as the eye could see.

Smoking in public is banned in Greece, and the No Smoking law has been in place for seven years.

However, nearly 22 billion cigarettes butts, totaling 3,500 tonnes, have been dropped by smokers in Greece, half of them on the beaches along the countrys coastline, according to the Greek Cancer Society (GCS).

Every time I go to the beach, I collect rubbish. When I find it, I collect it. Why? Because I like clean beaches, clean sands, clean sea, said Dillian Cowes, a Greek doctor.

But the GCS say only a few people bother to collect them and put them into bins.

They are urging people to take their cigarette butts seriously and refrain from leaving them on the countrys beaches.

Read more:

Concern over cigarette butts littering Greek beaches - euronews

The Kuwaiti authorities are working to contain an oil spill that has tarred the beaches and left long black slicks in the area of Ras al-Zour, but activists have accused it of covering up the full scale of the damage.

On Saturday, the government announced that boats and crews were dispatched to drop containment booms in the area, a kind of floating barrier to stop the oil spill moving further. According to the state-run Kuwait News Agency, the authorities priorities were first to secure waterways, power plants and water facilities.

Read more

Emergency teams from the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), several other oil companies, the Ministry of Electricity and Water and Environment Public Authority, have harnessed all efforts and capabilities to deal with the oil spill in south Kuwait, said Kuwaiti oil sector spokesman Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, in a statement carried by the official KUNA news agency. They are now focusing their efforts on protecting water outlets near the country's northern and southern Al-Zour power and water stations.

Nearby beaches will be cleaned once power and water plants are secured and the oil spill is put under full control, he added.

Since then, oil minister Essam al-Marzouq told the al-Rai newspaper on Sunday that no more patches of oil have been found and the authorities were working on clearing up those that were closest to shore. According to al-Marzouq, the clean-up operation should be over by the end of the week.

Its not yet clear where the oil spill originated, but some experts quoted by Kuwaiti media place the blame at the feet of an old 50-km pipeline from the joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Al-Khafji offshore oil field, where they estimate as many as 35,000 barrels of crude oil may have leaked into the waters surrounding Ras al-Zour. However, al-Khafji Joint Operations has said its facilities are safe and unaffected by the spill, instead attributing the accident to a tanker. Sheikh Abdullah al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family who is head of the Environment Public Authority, told AP there will be severe consequences to those responsible for this incident.

But Khaled al-Hajeri, the president of Kuwait's Green Line Society, has accused the government of covering up the full scale of the spill, saying the authorities already knew about the leak on Thursday.

Read more

"The government failed to issue a statement communicating the severity of this disaster. There was no warning people against fishing or entering the polluted area, even though it is close to some of the most popular summer destinations in Kuwait," al-Hajeri told AP. "This media blackout is intentional, and wrong. People have the right to know. This will have an impact on the fish, the food people consume, and it directly affects their health and safety."

Assisting in the clean-up operation is the American oil giant Chevron Corp., which operates oil fields on both the Saudi and Kuwaiti sides of the border, as well as Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL).

Ras al-Zour is the site of a new refinery that is being constructed by the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), due to be the largest in the Middle East with a capacity of 615,000 barrels per day and $11.5 billion worth of contracts.

Kuwait is home to the six-largest estimated oil reserves in the world, which make up around 95 percent of its export revenue. During the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered the oil fields to be set alight as his army retreated from the forces of the US-led coalition in Operation Desert Storm.

Link:

Kuwait battles oil spill in Persian Gulf close to popular summer beaches (VIDEO) - RT

Brighton Beach New York

New York State has over 1800 miles of shoreline with some world class beaches between its northern and southern borders. Thousands of city dwellers and vacationers visit the nearby beaches of Long Island, Fire Island, The Hamptons, Greenport and Northfork.

Long Island Beaches

Long Island, although urban at the western end, is very much a beach resort location for New York City. Long Island is rich in natural beauty, with sandy beaches, parks, hiking trails, kayaking and boating, as well as stately historical mansions and museums to explore. You can find dinosaurs, fire fighting equipment, Grumman aircraft and historic railroad cars. There are miles of beaches, many secluded by dunes and land formations.

Jones Beach Jones Beach is the largest and best known of the beaches operated by the State of New York. Its located on Jones Island, a barrier island for Long Islands south shore. The 6.5 mile public beach faces the open Atlantic Ocean. The park, originally planned by Robert Moses, includes a two mile long boardwalk, dining and catering facilities, a Trump project restaurant in construction, and the 14,000 seat Nikon outdoor theater and arenalong a site for musical presentations and dances.

Fire Island Fire Island is another barrier island, located off Long Islands southern shore. Most of the 30 mile long island is part of the Fire Island National Seashore and protected from further development. The Fire Island Lighthouse, the Sunken Forest and the Fire Island Wilderness (accessible only by boat) are all points of interest to view for the visitor.

In addition to enjoying the beach and water activities, Fire Island is known for world-class shopping, a glittering nightlight and fine dining.

Greenport Greenport is another beautiful beach resort city located on Long Islands North Fork. Its known for the whaling and shipping industries which operated from this port in the past. Currently the village is more attuned to tourism and recreational opportunities provided by the miles of sandy beaches and acres of vineyards nearby.

Northfork Northfork is best known for the wine country which surrounds it. The nearby beaches of Suffolk County are known as excellent novice swimmer locations. The north side of Long Island facing the open Atlantic provides recreational activities, dining, shopping, and cultural events.

The Hamptons

The eastern end of Long Island is grouped as The Hamptons due to a number of towns and villages which contain Hampton as part of the name. The area is noted for wealthy secluded estates with tracts of rural land surrounding them. Many wealthy residents choose the quiet surroundings for homes or summer homes. Yet, The Hamptons is also a sought after tourist destination. The beaches here extend for miles and offer surfing, beachcombing, swimming and just lazing. Shopping is available for those who want high-end items that are created by some of the local artisans. The nightlife in The Hamptons is well known, but much of the activity is centered around the summer season, with less excitement during winter or off-season.

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New York Beaches | Eastern Beaches

Massive sections of plastic undersea pipe one measuring nearly a third-of-a-mile long have washed up on British beaches along the Norfolk coast, much to the surprise of beachgoers.

The sections of pipe were reportedly being towed from Norway to a power plant in Algeria on July 18, when a container ship ran into the tow, setting 12 huge sections adrift.

Eight lengths of the eight-foot-wide pipe were "secured and under control," according to Brtiain's Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The four other sections were not recovered. At least two of them ended up on U.K. beaches.

The Guardian writes: "The beached pipes have attracted curious beachgoers. ... [The] pipes are wide enough to drive a car through. Aerial footage showed two men walking on top of one of the pipes, as others took selfies."

MCA and the manufacturer of the pipes, Pipelife Norge, have warned people to stay away from the pipes to prevent injury.

"It is essential now that the salvage team fence off the pipes. If a 2.5-metre [8-foot] diameter pipe, several hundred-metre long pipe is moving in the water it is extremely dangerous," Pipelife's export manager Trygve Blomster tells The Guardian. "If you fall beside that while it moved you will be smashed. If you walk on the pipe and you drop off it is extremely dangerous."

The MCA says the pipes were not an environmental risk, but that it "may take several weeks" to return them to Norway.

A video on Pipelife Norge's corporate website shows how the pipes are towed at sea and deployed on the sea bottom.

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Enormous Undersea Pipes Wash Up On UK Beaches - NPR

Nobody was happy about the timing when it was announced earlier this year the first phase of a $26.3 million project to rebuild Horry Countys beaches would begin during peak tourist season.

In a perfect scenario, this would be done exclusively during the off-season, but the good news is our beaches are being renourished, and thats not just good for the Grand Strand, but for all of South Carolina, said Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Army Corps of Engineers project involves restoring about 11 of 60 miles of Grand Strand shorefront by pumping sand from the ocean floor onto the beach.

The $26.3 million beach renourishment project will pump 1.2 million cubic yards of sand on 11 miles of the Grand Strand that were affected by hurricanes in 2015 and 2016.

Because shells and mud are mixed in with the sand, the "new" sand often appears lighter at first, but within days, the sun will oxidize it and turn it lighter.

The purpose of the Myrtle Beach Storm Damage Reduction Project is to rebuild dunes that were flattened and beaches swept away during Hurricane Matthew in October and Hurricane Joaquin a year earlier. The project is considered an emergency that needed to be done as soon as possible, officials said.

Its underway. Its very necessary and were thrilled to see it happening, although we would prefer to see it after the summer, Dean said.

About 18 million people visit the Myrtle Beach area annually and so far the construction has been an inconvenience to those who are near it but has not caused a major hit to the economy, he said.

Work started in mid-July near the Surfside Beach Pier and is working its way north to Myrtle Beach State Park. It is currently in front of Ocean Lakes Family Campground.

The around-the-clock work involves closing about 1,000 feet of beach for two or three days while renourishment is in progress. Contractor Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. pumps about 40,000 cubic yards of sand daily, completing about 500 feet of beach. As soon as a section is built up it is reopened.

In addition, large pipes run along the beach parallel to the ocean even outside of the construction area, with walk-overs built from sand to provide ocean access.

The renourishment itself only happens in a very isolated portion of the Grand Strand, but if its happening right outside of your hotel or beach house you certainly notice it, Dean said.

Small sections of Grand Strand beaches are closed temporarily for a renourishment project to replace sand lost in recent hurricanes and storms. Ocean Lakes Family Campground/Provided

Many would-be vacationers have watched anxiously for construction updates on websites and on social media, but the progress is difficult to predict. Few people have canceled vacations, Dean said, but some rental companies have moved guests to other properties.

Ocean Lakes has posted updates on Facebook, Twitter, a blog and its website in addition to directly emailing vacationers who are affected.

We explained that we know the timing is not ideal but we had no control over this, said campground spokeswoman Barb Krumm. The guests had a lot of concerns but we are just trying to make the best of it because we know how precious their vacation time is.

Many guests were worried about beach access but only about 20 percent of Ocean Lakes frontage will be affected at a time, she said.

The campground also offers earplugs to guests who complain about nighttime noise from heavy equipment back-up alarms and hydraulic pumps, which also cause vibrations, and will refund the difference to anyone who cuts their vacation short due to the construction.

Just a week after work started in mid-July, it stopped when the hose between the dredge and the beach ruptured, then repairs were delayed by bad weather.

After nine days, dredging resumed Aug. 4 but it was too late for Rita Mansfield, whose rental house was nearby.

A family vacation of a lifetime on the oceanfront became the disappointment of a lifetime, she wrote on Surfside Beachs Facebook page on Aug. 4. Our view was the construction equipment and huge pipes on the beach. The one night the pumps were working kept us up all night.

She wrote that the equipment and its noise scared her autistic grandson, who left the vacation early. Mansfield did not respond to a message seeking additional comment.

We get some queries about noise, said Glenn Jeffries, spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers' Charleston District office, which includes Myrtle Beach. We know that there are going to be some inconveniences because the operation is 24-7, but its a short-term inconvenience for a long-term benefit.

Horry Countys beaches not only support the local economy but also help protect more than $3.7 billion in beachfront property and provide habitats for sea turtles, shore birds and other marine wildlife, according to the chamber.

A lot of times people dont understand that recreation is a great plus benefit, but thats not the purpose of the project, Jeffries said. Its really to provide storm damage reduction and to help protect people on the property behind the dunes. It does provide a wider beach, which people enjoy and thats great, but thats not the purpose of the project.

Even without the hurricane damage the area would have needed rehabilitation soon, Jeffries said. Beaches typically are renourished every decade, and the Grand Strandwas last built up in 2008.

The current phase is expected to be completed by the end of August, then the project moves back to the pier and goes south to Georgetown County, which will take about another month. In all, the Corps will put about 800,000 cubic yards of sand on 7 miles of beach.

The Army Corps of Engineers has created a map to track progress of the renourishment project on a real-time basis that can be found at http://www.sac.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/.

The North Myrtle Beach portion will start after that, pumping 400,000 cubic yards of sand on a 3-mile stretch. The city is kicking in an additional $1 million to rebuild its sand dunes.

Surfside Beach, Garden City and North Myrtle Beach received federal emergency beach rehabilitation funding in March for the work.

Beaches are the lifeblood of the Grand Strand, and theyve been hit hard over the past few years, U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-S.C., said in a statement at the time. Rice worked with the Corps and the House Appropriations Committee to get the funding.

The project includes $21.5 million in federal money, $2.4 million from the state, $1.25 million from Horry County, $672,000 from Surfside Beach and $480,000 from Georgetown County.

Myrtle Beach, which secured $16 million in funding in May, will likely begin pumping sand to build up that area in the spring and finish before the 2018 tourist season. That citys funding will only cover about 65 percent of the project.

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Beach renourishment during Grand Strand tourist season not ideal but necessary - Charleston Post Courier

Patch.com

Swimming Advisory Lifted In Miami Beach Patch.com MIAMI BEACH, FL The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County took another water sample in North Shore on Friday and lifted a swimming advisory for that part of Miami Beach on Saturday afternoon based on the results. The advisory was ... Swimming advisories lifted for area beaches13newsnow.com High Bacteria Levels At Port Stanley Little BeachBlackburnNews.com all 4 news articles »

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Swimming Advisory Lifted In Miami Beach - Patch.com

When you're picking a hotel along the Amalfi Coast, two common must-haves include cliffside accommodations with sea views and easy access to the beach.

Both are fortunately relatively easy to come by. But travelers should note that many hotels are set on public beaches that are often overcrowded, particularly in high season.

A private stretch of sand is far more ideal -- and staying at a luxury property isn't required. Read on for the best Amalfi Coast stays with private beaches across the board, no matter what your budget.

Guests hop aboard a funicular to get from this sprawling cliffside property to its private pebble beach -- and it's an Instagram-worthy ride. The four-pearl hotel, located just outside of Positano, offers dizzying sea views from its five levels, including all 55 of its guest rooms, many of which have balconies. There's a cascade of landscaped terraces with cafe tables, including one just above the water with a freeform pool and sundeck. The hotel has a restaurant set on the beach and a bar that will deliver drinks right to your lounge chair.

If you're looking for an affordable stay, and a private, sandy beach tops your must-have list, this hotel in Maiori fits the bill. The property is a bit of a throwback to 1950s -- it was formerly a lemon distillery used for making limoncello -- and depending on personal taste, decor is either fun and retro or dated. Either way, the wide sandy beach is a solid perk. Umbrellas and loungers are available to rent, and there are beautiful mountain views in the distance. The hotel also has a small but pleasant pool and a restaurant and bar that overlooks the sea.

This quiet, romantic hotel is another smart choice for a lodging with private beach access that won't break the bank. The hotel is built into a hillside, and Positano's village is only a 15-minute walk away along a picturesque path. Cheery orange and blue loungers line its pebble beach (available to rent for a nominal fee), where light fare and drinks are on offer from charming Bar Bagni Pupetto, with a thatched roof and colorful fairy lights. There's also a restaurant on site with sea views that serves pizza and local specialties, which gets high marks from guests.

Families with young children flock to this hotel, which has a private, sandy beach across the street. It's located in a quiet area outside the town of Salerno, and even in high season, the atmosphere at the property remains laid-back and relatively peaceful. There are plenty of umbrellas and loungers both at the beach and at its large pool, which has a swimming area for kids and a small playground on a grassy strip. The hotel also has a bar and casual open-air restaurant that serves pizza and traditional Campanian dishes prepared with local produce.

The private beach at this three-pearl hilltop hotel is its top feature, with loungers and blue-and-yellow umbrellas lined up on a good-size stretch of sand. There's a lively, though not chaotic vibe, even with the property being popular with families. All of the property's guest rooms have balconies with fantastic sea views, plus there are two on-site restaurants and a cool bar inside a cave.

This Relais & Chateaux hotel has an elevator to whisk you from the cliffs down to sea level, with a rock tunnel at its base leading to a cave that opens to the property's secluded private beach. There's only a small patch of rocky sand, with surfboards and kayaks lining the shore, but sunbathers can ease into one of the orange loungers set on a sleek outcrop. A casual eatery and bar with a thatched roof is off to one side and offers food and drink service. The setting feels exclusive, but not overly luxe, and it's ideal for those seeking an intimate hideaway. Other highlights include a spa, Michelin-starred restaurant, and a yacht for half- or full-day rental.

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6 best Amalfi Coast hotels with private beaches - ABC News

A shark was spotted off the coast of Chatham after it bit a seal around 3:15 p.m. Thursday, town officials said.

Beaches between Lighthouse Beach and Andrew Hardings Lane were cleared of all swimmers, said Dan Tobin, director of parks and recreation in Chatham.

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The beaches will remain closed for at least two hours, Tobin said, while officials from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy track and tag the shark.

When a shark is spotted, protocol is to close the beaches in the area for an hour, but Tobin predicted this incident will take longer to clear because the shark attacked another animal and did not immediately leave the scene.

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It didnt simply just pass by, it had attacked a seal, Tobin said. Were just making sure its not looking for an additional snack.

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Beaches are closed in Chatham after shark attacks seal - The ... - The Boston Globe

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong has reopened five of 13 beaches closed since last Sunday following a palm oil spill, after authorities collected more than 150 tonnes of acrid-smelling clumps in one of the Chinese territory's worst environmental disasters.

The spill last week after two vessels collided in the Pearl River estuary left white globs of jelly-like palm oil in the water and strewn across beaches, along with dead fish, rocks, shells and rubbish smothered in the oil.

On Friday the government said five of the 13 popular beaches around the former British colony have been reopened. All of these beaches had been closed since last Sunday.

Over 300 staff had been deployed to tackle the oil waste, the government said, while scores of volunteers also helped to scoop up the waste into black plastic bags.

The spill sparked outrage among some residents and environmentalists and comes just a year after mountains of rubbish washed up on Hong Kong's beaches, with labels and packaging indicating most of it had come from mainland China.

The Under Secretary for the Environment Tse Chin-wan said on Thursday the situation was becoming more stable.

The spill comes at the peak of summer, when visitors, campers and holiday makers throng to beaches and outlying islands, especially at weekends.

Environment groups have warned the spill could have severe ecological consequences, with Hong Kong's sweltering summer temperatures raising the threat of a harmful algae bloom that would compete with fish for oxygen.

The government said water samples in affected areas showed oil content remained at low levels, but Tse warned that there might still be traces of the palm oil pellets in the sand.

Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said it was monitoring the impact on the fishing industry and the marine parks.

The effect on marine life, which includes the endangered Chinese white dolphins - also known as pink dolphins - and green turtles was not immediately clear.

Hong Kong's coastal waters and beaches are often strewn with rubbish from mainland China, where some companies discharge waste into the sea to cut costs, conservationists say.

Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Richard Pullin & Shri Navaratnam

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Hong Kong scoops up 158 tonnes of palm oil; reopens five beaches - Reuters

South Padre Island (Photo: File)

The beaches at Padre Island National Seashore have been reopened to driving.

The National Park Service said Friday morning both the north and south beaches at Padre Island National Seashore are once again open to vehicle traffic. They offered the following driving tips concerning a trip to the seashore:

1) Use a four-wheel drive 2) Bring a tow rope and shovel 3) Check the tides before you get on the beach 4) Know the limitations of your vehicle 5) Bring a spare key kept on your person 6) USE CAUTION!

To learn more about driving on the beaches of Padre Island National Seashore, CLICK HERE.

The National Park Service closed the Padre Island National Seashore to drivers Thursday morning due to 'super high tides' from waves associated with Hurricane Franklin. Rangers said there was a very high danger of rip currents at that time and advised swimmers to reconsider going into the water.

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Beaches at Padre Island National Seashore reopened - WOAI

Egypt, Sand Hills and Peggotty beaches in Scituate have reopened for swimming after being closed on Thursday by high bacteria counts.

Follow-up testing done Thursday on water samples showed almost no contamination atEgypt and Sand Hills. The bacteria level at Peggotty Beach was elevated but within acceptable limits, and the water was not retested.

The other 62 salt-water beaches on the South Shore are open.

See water quality test results for each community and for Cape Cod, the South Coast and North Shore.

For more on Quincy beaches, call 617-376-1288, or visit tpl-beaches. For more on Wollaston Beach, call 617-626-4972.

HOW BEACHES ARE TESTED

Sixy-five beaches on the South Shore are tested for intestinal bacteria found in humans and animals.

High levels indicate the possible presence of disease-causing microbes that are present in sewage but are more difficult to detect. Bacterial colonies are filtered from three ounces of water and placed on a gel infused with nutrients and chemicals designed to promote growth.

Left in an incubator, the single cells isolated on the filter grow explosively, forming colonies visible to the naked eye. After one day, the colonies are counted and if they exceed 104 colonies, the beach is closed to swimming.

If the past five samples have a mean exceeding 35 colonies, the beach must also be closed to swimming.

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All South Shore beaches open - Wicked Local Hingham

In the last few years Ive been noticing more people with their gear, Ms. Rosenberg said. She was originally looking to make a comparison between beach-spreading maximalists and just-a-towel-and-a-book minimalists. But the maximalists just won over, she said. Because thats all there really is in New Jersey. Its the maximalists.

It has become such a scourge that towns are now taking steps to rein in the expansive behavior. This year, Seaside Heights imposed limits on cooler and tent sizes and banned serving trays, warming trays, pots, pans, and other food preparation devices. Belmar has introduced legislation to ban tents. Manasquan already has similar rules, but added a ban on balls.

Its to the point that it looks like tailgating at MetLife stadium, Matt Doherty, the Belmar mayor, said. And I love tailgating at MetLife stadium, I really do. Its just not what were looking for on the beach.

On just about any given sunny weekend or weekday, evidence of the contagion is rampant.

With a tall, black pop-up cabana and the nasally vocals of Omis Cheerleader wafting across the beach, Andrea Julius and her friends from Philadelphia spread out toward the back of Jenkinsons beach here to celebrate her 29th birthday.

We like to be secluded but still connected to everyone, and this tent does it, she said, while two friends volleyed a beach ball nearby.

They were, of course, there on a Tuesday, and the surrounding space allowed them some courtesy.

Were respectful back here, Ms. Julius said. All they have to do is tell us, and well turn it down or take it down.

On the weekends the situation can get thornier.

Farther down the beach from the Weal spread, Rob Trumbo, 31, and Jessica Helfrich, 31, opted for foldable beach chairs, even though they usually bring along an umbrella, which wasnt really necessary since the sun was hidden behind clouds.

In front of them, the Roman family from Fair Lawn gathered under a navy cabana, hanging towels from the canopy as a way to maximize shade while drying the towels. The weight of small ice coolers tied with short pieces of rope to the legs of the tent added stability.

Ms. Helfrich, a medical coder from Scranton, Pa., said that families with canopies should consider setting up toward the back of beaches.

Susan Roman, 55, said she and her husband, Robert Roman, 61, had arrived early to claim a clear view of the beach, right behind a sand berm.

We stay in the back if its too crowded, Ms. Roman said.

While beach gear is often readily attainable at boardwalk shops, sometimes a simple cabana wont do.

We had a guy last year bring in a coffin, said Mayor Anthony Vaz of Seaside Heights. Im not lying, a wooden coffin with his food and his drinks and so forth. And we said, No we cant have that.

But where theres a will, theres a way to spread.

The Kiernan family, which had gone to Seaside Heights on a Tuesday, carried a tie-dyed surfboard with the word Peace scrawled across it. But tucked underneath were some table legs, and the board quickly became a table for a rousing game of cards.

In Belmar, Bobbie Sue Hoffman, 47, who had gone there for the day from Levittown, Pa., carried a tent that looked more like an umbrella when it was folded. She often checks to make sure shes not blocking anybodys view, but having arrived early on a Tuesday, beach locations were hers for the choosing.

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Reining In Beach-Spreading, Not to Be Confused With Manspreading - New York Times