News Release

Damage Assessments from Hurricane Nicole Continue, Park Operations and Visitor Access to be Affected

NPS/Photo

News Release Date: November 29, 2022

Contact: Laura Henning, [phone]

Canaveral National Seashore and the National Park Service’s Eastern Incident Management Team continue to assess damage to the national seashore from Hurricane Nicole. Preliminary reports show heavy impacts in the Playalinda District, with substantial damage to numerous boardwalks, parking lots, beach access points and sand dunes.

Once condition assessments are complete, the park will work on a phased strategy to restore beach access and visitor services in the Playalinda District while providing for natural resource protection. No timetable for reopening or repairs is available at this time.

“Hurricane Nicole was a powerful storm that changed the landscape of Canaveral National Seashore. As we rebuild, we will be looking at ways to adapt National Park Service operations to better withstand powerful storms in the future,” said Superintendent Cinda Waldbuesser.

Hurricane Nicole made landfall on November 10th as a Category 1 storm south of Vero Beach, Florida, fueling major storm surge flooding along Florida’s east coast.
 

Parkwide, the following areas remain closed for visitor safety:

· Apollo (Boardwalks #1 & #6).

· Playalinda Beach
 

Visitors should obey all park closures and safety messaging. Surviving boardwalks have sustained structural damage and could collapse at any time. Sand dunes have become unstable due to erosion and may collapse causing injury or entrapment. Use caution when recreating on open beaches as storm debris continues to wash ashore and may be buried in the surf.