Military officials have designated waterways surrounding Eglin Air Force Base as restricted areas, limiting access to ID card holders and their guests with visitor passes.
The security change affects six specific waterways:
- Eglin’s main shoreline
- North and south sides of Santa Rosa Sound (Hurlburt Field and Santa Rosa Island respectively)
- Camp Pinchot shoreline
- Poquito Bayou housing area shoreline
- Wynnhaven Beach
According to base officials, the 96th Test Wing commander implemented the restrictions due to “identified emerging air and waterborne threats against defense installations.” The new measures align the waterways’ security posture with that of Eglin’s land areas.
Visitors can obtain passes from the Visitor Control Center at the Air Force Armament Museum between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Outside these hours, sponsors can secure base passes from Airmen stationed at the gate.
The new restrictions took effect Feb. 24.
MAPS
15 Responses
I was stationed at Elgin AFB from 1982-1984 at the TAWC Building. The 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing is in my opinion the most outstanding group of airmen and officers in the Continental United States.
Tawc 82 to 84. Rwr
This is out of abundance of caution not confidence… it’s the same with the gates… since 9/11. Osama Bin Laden won.
Those are our waterways not Eglins. Put a fence on the shoreline not in OUR waters.
While I very much appreciate the positive comments, one has to question what these new restrictions bring to the table. Poquito housing is abandoned and on the block as surplus and isolated from any exercise areas. Santa Rosa Island land mass is already restricted; what exactly does this “buffer” do? Main base shore/water is already restricted which I agree with. Yes the Test Wing does a fantastic job day to day; it’s a complex organization with mind boggling logistics to prosecute the testing they do. But encroaching on locals ability to enjoy the natural resources of our beautiful area is not sitting well with the locals I talk to. Especially closing off beach access west of Matador. And I digress… that area west of the Matador on the Island has not seen exercises along the first mile of beach in over 40 years – not just my opinion. It has severely impacted surf fishing and the ability of locals to get some peace and quiet from the masses of tourists. While Matador and Princess accesses are available, getting back on 98 and getting back to Fort Walton is let’s say “challenging” if not dangerous.
More grabs. Much of these areas are not mission critical. No conversation, just closures. How about the inshore charter captains that fish these areas? The areas they have to fish that aren’t overrun with rental pontoons and waverunners are already limited. First they closed the sandunes. Then they closed the beach on the bay between Destin and fort Walton and along Okaloosa island between fort Walton and Navarre in the Sound. Then redneck beach. Now this. This water is owned by the state. Next will be the only 2 beach accesses on the island, Princess Beach and the Mattahorn. Then it will be no more access to the reservation. Eglin is becoming a horrible neighbor. This doesn’t just affect fisherman. If you look at the maps, all the islands in the Sound are now off limits. We need for our communities like Mary Esther (Mary Esther just built a kayak park so people can access the islands in the Sound) the county and the state to stand up against this.
Those islands in the sounds are part of the Air Force property and can be closed by the bases. Mary Esther should have had a better understanding of this BEFORE they built a park for residents to use that don’t actually have access to base property.
what park are you referencing
The islands are under US Army Corps of Engineers
Civilians don’t own this area, remember that!
All of Eglin AFB was once Choctawhatchee National Forest. The military was to return it when finished with it. Now trading land and selling land. Our county commissioners need to intercede with Eglin and get these restrictions removed.
Federal owned land, state owned water was always my understanding. Who is enforcing the water closures?
I am thankful for the abundance of caution Eglin is taking to protect our military bases and the locals and visitors around this area. Did some of you not read the part about emerging security threats in the air and on the water?
Where are you stationed
The new Area 51 !