JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Ian’s impact continues to be felt all across the state, and here in the First Coast. Beachgoers at Jacksonville Beach Sunday may have stumbled upon some massive poles.
Those poles were ripped up from the Mayport Naval Base by the hurricane and wound up in Jacksonville Beach.
“We were actually arguing on the way here about whether or not is was going to be open," said Hanna Park Surfer Sam Lagana. "We’re like, ‘It’s going to be open. It’s going to be open. It has to be.’”
Sam Lagana was desperately hoping Hanna Park would be open so he could hit up the post-hurricane waves at one of Jacksonville’s iconic surf spots – the Mayport Poles.
Only, the poles looked a little different after Hurricane Ian was done with them.
“I saw that there was a couple hanging there, and I think that while I was out there they broke actually," said Lagana.
Lagana had some company in the water for the rest of that surf session, as those broken poles used to separate the public beach from the Navy Base went drifting South.
Seven miles south – where a Captain with Jacksonville Fire Rescue discovered them poking out of the water.
The water logged poles were so heavy Ocean Rescue and JFRD had to use a truck to drag them out.
“Hitting one of those would definitely do some damage," said Jacksonville Beach Surfer Dez March. "We already have to worry about a bunch of other stuff out there – fish, fishermen, stingrays. I wouldn’t want a full, wooden pipe coming at me.”
That JFRD captain is hoping it serves as a reminder that dangerous debris could still be in the ocean.
Lagana managed to dodge all the poles on his way to some even bigger ‘breaks.’
“It was good and it was big after," said Lagana. "[Sunday] was just fun, regular Florida waves. Back to the regularly-scheduled programming.”
A base spokesperson says public works is aware that the barrier has been destroyed.