Holmes Beach Implements "No Holes" Rule To Protect Safety And Wildlife

beach sand and sea

Photo: M Swiet Productions / Moment / Getty Images

Holmes Beach, FL - Holmes Beach has enacted a new ordinance this summer banning the digging of holes deeper than one foot on its sandy beaches.

The rule also prohibits the use of metal shovels, such as gardening tools, but allows children’s plastic shovels.

The law aims to improve beachgoer safety and protect local wildlife, especially sea turtles.

City Commissioner Carol Whitmore explained that the ordinance was introduced due to safety concerns, highlighting incidents where deep holes were left uncovered, creating hidden hazards for others.

“We almost had a person fall into a gigantic hole that nobody covered up. It’s a safety issue,” Whitmore stated.

The rule comes after a tragic incident in 2024, when a young girl died after falling into a nearly six-foot-deep hole in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

The sand collapsed on her, leading to her death. In 2023, nearly 143 million people visited Florida, making safety concerns on the beaches particularly relevant.

The ordinance also addresses threats to local wildlife, particularly sea turtles.

Whitmore stated that large holes, some reaching up to six feet deep, have trapped sea turtles.

“We’ve got photos of our turtles getting caught in the holes, and they can’t survive,” she added.

Local beachgoers, such as Waylon Slabach, expressed support for the rule, noting that filling in holes before leaving helps protect both human visitors and the environment.

The National Ocean Service encourages beachgoers to fill holes to protect nesting sea turtles.


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