Navarre Beach Fishing Pier draws thousands

Over 6,000 people are estimated to have visited the new Navarre Beach Pier in its first week of operations. Pier managers Dorothy Syle and Everett "Junior" Ratliff report 1,332 adults, 99 seniors, 113 youth and 4,375 walking admissions were paid from Monday, June 7 through Monday June 14.

This does not include an estimated 350 people who attended the opening ceremony or those who enjoyed the pier on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 when admission was free for both walkers and fishermen. Additionally, 33 annual fishing passes and 12 annual walking passes were sold through June 14.

The pier located at 8579 Gulf Boulevard is 1,545 feet long and is the longest in the State of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Admission to the pier for those fishing is $7 for adults, $4 for youth, and $6 for seniors and free for disabled veterans and $1 for walkers. Annual passes are also available. The initial hours of operation for the 2010 summer are 5 a.m.- 10 p.m., seven days a week.