The Destin Harbor is in need of some maintenance dredging, according to discussion at a recent Destin City Council meeting. 

Concerns over the depth of a section of the channel have been raised over the past few weeks, including concerns from the captain of Buccaneer Pirate Cruise boat.

• “That channel has gotten very shallow, and a lot of the larger boats are having difficulty getting back into the harbor,” said Councilmember Torey Geile, who brought up the topic during last Monday night’s meeting.

The city engineer, Ryan Scott, explained that the permit from the Army Corps of Engineers does allow periodic maintenance dredging in the harbor channel through 2030. To move forward, Scott says a survey is needed to determine the exact area and depth of dredging required, at an estimated cost of $15,000.

Captain Jim Green of the 92-foot American Spirit boat, and who is also a member of the Harbor CRA, provided insight during the meeting. “It is a small area, but it is very crucial,” he said, referring to the section in the channel near AJ’s Seafood restaurant. He noted the permitted depth is supposed to be 10-12 feet but is currently only 6.5 to 8 feet in areas. 

• “There are a lot of big boats in the harbor. If we’re outside of the navigable channel and something was to happen, we’re considered negligent,” Green added.

Ultimately, Councilmember Jim Bagby motioned to allocate $15,000 from the council contingency fund to pay for the survey as soon as possible. The motion passed unanimously.

• Bagby further emphasized the need to budget for the full dredging project, likely to cost at a minimum $100,000, in next year’s budget.

The survey results will determine the final scope and cost of dredging needed to restore safe navigability through this important section of the Destin Harbor channel.