Kayak site becomes launch pad for erosion issues

A concerned resident emailed the Sarasota County Commission earlier this month, worried about the deepening erosion at the kayak launch on Vamo Drive.

It is a popular spot, she said, and getting dangerous.

The launch, located at the end of a small street in the Vamo neighborhood, has limited parking — about five spots — and no other amenities. The sand-and-dirt launch includes two roped-off sections of grass, a previous attempt at erosion prevention by the county, and a sign for kayakers to be aware of the manatee population.

Until recently, locals mainly used the Vamo launch, said George Tatge, manager of beaches and water access parks for the county. However, with a growing interest in kayaking and water sports, the small spots are being used more.

Its location on Little Sarasota Bay makes the Vamo launch a highly desirable site, he said.

“It’s one of those jewels used by the neighborhood … used to be kind of a secret,” Tatge said. “The level of service has increased.”

On Monday morning, the county filled in a crevasse of erosion near the shoreline, about 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep, but Tatge said it’s a temporary fix. He said the county will continue to monitor issues at the kayak launch site.

“If you wait a few days you can probably go there and see it again,” he said.

Shoreline erosion is caused by waves from the bay. The runoff water from Vamo Drive also causes erosion.

The shoreline erosion causes the most problems for people who want to launch motorized vessels from Vamo, Tatge said. Trailers can get stuck in the gullies while backing into the bay to release the vessels.

More people are starting to use the Vamo launch for Jet Skis, but Vamo’s launch is not made for that kind of use. The best solution would be to build a concrete boat ramp.

Unfortunately, the launch is not a good location for a permanent ramp because it is small with limited parking and tight maneuvering space for a truck and trailer.

Kayakers have other options in the area, though. A few streets over, the Wharf Road Park site offers a more structured launch. Although it is not concrete, it was designed with a special webbing in the sand and shell layers to be more firm.

Although she lives closer to the Wharf launch, Julie Vaqueira said she would rather take her grandchildren to the Vamo access because fishermen often leave bones and entrails around the picnic tables and deck at the Wharf launch.

“The smell is really terrible,” she said.

Tatge said Wharf Road was a historic fishing camp at one time, and many fishermen still use the small deck to clean fish. He once saw the remains of a 7-foot shark there, he said.

“Now, it’s a nuisance,” Tatge said. Staff cleans up the deck if they receive any complaints, he said.