Beach Reclamation

In most reclamation projects, sand is taken from the bottom of the ocean and pumped back up onto the beach to replace sand that has been lost. Large machines, like giant vacuum cleaners, suck up sand and then the sand is pumped to the beach to rebuild the dunes. The Pines has undertaken reclamation projects a number of times. Today, the largest reclamation effort in Pines history has been completed—the FIMI (Fire Island to the Moriches Inlet) Stabilization Project.

The Army Corps of Engineers started last year to restore Fire Island beaches from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.  FIMI engineers worked from both the eastern and western ends of Fire Island – and steadily approached the Pines.  It was a slow moving and complicated process, but when it reached the Pines, it moved at incredible speed.

It created a dune line 15 feet high and over 100 yards wide by depositing over 850,000 cubic yards of sand in front of our homes.  Two dredging ships were used working 24/7 this past fall. With this new dune, larger than anything we have seen before, we believe the Fire Island environment will be protected for generations.  

New fortified beach access walks designed to withstand a storm surge beach are now installed.  Coast Guard Walk and Fisherman Walk are ADA compliant.