Hopkins Beach Is Disappearing!
A stretch of beach on the south side of Hopkins Village has been significantly eroded, with a resident estimating that between 30 and 40 feet of sand has been lost.
Oswin Nunez, who has lived in the area for about six years, says the beach is now in the worst condition he has seen during that time. He lives along the shoreline near Cabana Village.
Nunez says the change has been particularly noticeable in recent months. He recalls having a wide stretch of beach in front of his property but says that over the past few weeks, the shoreline has receded considerably.
“We see it come, we see it go, we see it come back. This time it di go and ih noh deh come back,” Nunez said.
He recalls that about two years ago, a marine biologist visited the property to investigate a sea turtle nest. At the time, Nunez says there were roughly 60 to 65 feet of beach between the nesting area and the water.
He now estimates that between 30 and 40 feet of that beach has disappeared.
Nunez says the erosion appears to be isolated to the southern side of the village. He says the northern side does not appear to be experiencing the same level of beach loss.
Hopkins Village Council Chairwoman Ella Carr says the Council is also seeing significant erosion, particularly on the south side of the village.
Carr says some sections have lost approximately eight feet of beach, while others have eroded by around 16 feet. She says she has also received calls from the hotel zone about significant beach loss.
“I’ve got calls already. They said that they have lost a lot of their beach and it’s looking terrible,” Carr said, adding that the situation is affecting the appearance and experience of Hopkins as a tourism destination.
Sargassum has also been washing ashore, leaving a strong smell that Nunez says can become overwhelming. “The stench weh you smell daily, ih overwhelming, just a lee bit too much,” he said.
Carr says the Council does not have the equipment to deal with the sargassum and is seeking urgent assistance. “We would love to get more help, further help, because Hopkins is a resilient community, but we cannot do this alone,” she said.
A council meeting was scheduled to take place today but that was canceled.
For Nunez, the bigger concern is that even if the beach eventually returns to normal, the sand that has already disappeared may not.
“Even if ih come back to normal, it will never give you back the amount of sand that we already lose, never build up back to the level where it’s at right now,” he said.
Nunez says he does not believe the water will reach his house, but he is looking at planting additional trees along the shoreline in an effort to protect what remains.
For now, however, he says there is little he can do to stop the erosion.
“Nothing we could do will fix this right now, this bigger than we,” Nunez said.