- February 6, 2025
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The first time Robert Lloyd tried to maneuver his boat past the Spruce Creek train trestle the hull ground against an oyster bed that the water did little to hide in some areas.
The second time, the boat didn't progress along the creek any further. The third time, the boat pushed past the shallow buildup but was quickly pinned against a cement pillar holding up the trestle. Water pushed against the side of the boat and for that moment it was a waiting game.
Eventually, the current began moving the boat away from the pillar working it free before carrying it back into another oyster bed. The final attempt to get the boat across was successful but the process was a reminder of what some residents are growing increasingly worried about.
The Florida East Coast Railway train trestle, which spans the water connecting Spruce Creek to Turnball Bay and Strickland Bay, has been acting as a growing dam restricting water flow in the bottleneck, according to Lloyd. In addition to the oyster beds and sediment collecting around the trestle, ballast from the tracks has started spilling into the water from the sides.
Lloyd said he has also cleared away what looked like old parts of the railroad.
For Lloyd, who has lived along Spruce Creek for the past 20 years, navigating this area of the water is tricky for a local, even more so for someone who isn't familiar with the area. He is afraid of what will happen if someone who doesn't know the area gets stuck at the trestle. Lloyd added that many of the spots under the railroad are unsafe for boaters due to the current and shallow areas.
One of Lloyd's friends once flipped his boat and, because of the current, was pulled under it.
"If you're a boater and proceeding westbound, and approaching the bridge, your natural inclination is to go through the middle," Lloyd said. "There's no way to navigate and you could get thrown into the cement piling or thrown out of the boat. You'd be lucky to survive."
The rail trestle has become more than a safety issue though. Lloyd pointed out that animals, such as turtles, manatees and bottlenose dolphins use the easement as they navigate between the waterways.
Because of what Lloyd and others have experienced, he started the group Spruce Creek Rising. Lloyd said he has asked for help from various local and state organizations to dredge the area in order to clear away what has built up around the trestle. The response has been supportive, Lloyd said, but no one has offered to pay the funds to cover this project.
"From contacting the state county, and local agencies, no one seems to feel it is their responsibility," conservationist Derek LaMontagne wrote in a email. "That is a major problem in my opinion and why I am advocating for grassroots campaigns like Save Spruce Creek to force action and protection of our endangered and precious waterway, not to mention stop the flooding and pollution effects on residents."
But the railway trestle, built in the late 1800s, isn't just a recent concern for residents. In 1916, James Gamble, who owned 272 acres of land around the creek, wrote to the predecessor of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers asking for help to clear the waterway under the trestle.
"I have cleared out the logs and other obstructions annually so as to maintain a channel for boats in that part of the creek," Gamble wrote, adding that "the obstruction of the bridges have prevented the increase of the number of visitors."
As for solutions to the present day issue, Lloyd has a similar idea to Gamble: dredge the east and west side of the trestle. He said he would also advise putting up fenders to prevent ballast from flowing into the creek in addition to routine maintenance to ensure the waterway continues to stay clear.
If and when this will happen is still unclear.
"Spruce Creek is important for the environmental purposes and overall quality of life," Councilman Chase Tramont said. "Modifications of this railway trestle are vital not only for the safety of aquatic users but wildlife as well."
